500 UK Festivals Launch Green Events Code to Fight Climate Crisis

More than 500 UK festivals and outdoor events launched Green Events Code, a standard setter for sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices. As part of the Sustainable Event Summit, industry professionals and festival organizers presented the initiative as a way to tackle climate change through industry standards. 

Developed by non-profit organization Vision:2025, Green Events Code aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption by 50% in the following years.

Stakeholders must commit to reducing 30% of meat and on-site dairy consumption by 2030 and completely eliminating single-use plastic by 2025. 

The environmental project is the result of consultations with local authorities, event businesses, and trade associations. Focusing on key areas of governance, Green Events Code delivers clear standards for climate-positive decisions and shared environmentally-friendly targets. 

Large-scale festivals that showed their support for the environmental code include prominent names, such as Boardmasters, Reading, and BST Hyde Park. The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) and event promoters Superstruct and Festival Republic have financially supported Green Events Code. 

Other organizations inputting into the code include LIVE, UK Music, the Local Government Association, and the Institute Of Licensing. 

During a panel at the Sustainable Event Summit, AIF’s CEO Paul Reed said that despite the challenging times for the festival industry, the focus on climate action must be maintained.

“The Green Events Code will be invaluable in setting out clear and workable minimum environmental standards and targets for all UK outdoor festivals and outdoor events, helping to reduce carbon impact and move towards net zero.”