Coldplay says they've beaten their emissions target for 'Music of the Spheres' world tour

Coldplay has beaten its emissions target for their "Music of the Spheres" World tour.

On social media, the band proudly shared the great green news, saying "the first two years of this tour is 59% less than our previous stadium tour on a show-by-show comparison."

In their statement, Coldplay said they initially planned to "reduce our direct carbon emissions (show production, freight, band and crew travel) by at least 50%."

The British band also made sure to include a statement from Prof. John E. Fernandez of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, which verified the figures.

"This latest analysis of Coldplay's impact on the environment from touring is again setting a new standard for the entire music industry. The data and the methods of analysis support the conclusion that substantial profess has been made to reduce emissions in touring.," Fernandez said.

Coldyplay made ambitious sustainability commitments when it announced the "Music of the Spheres" World Tour back in 2021. Apart from pledging to cut their tour emissions by 50%, Coldplay also committed to having renewable energy power their shows, with solar panels at every concert, as well as power bikes and kinetic dance floors, where fans can charge the show battery to power the C stage at the following show. 

The band also pledged to plant one tree for every ticket sold and attempted the reuse system for the compostable plant-based LED wristband it distributed to concert goers and which were to be collected at the end of each show.

When Coldplay performed In the Philippines last January, bike racks and EV chargers were made available on site, while concert goers were encouraged to bring refillable rubber bottles as water stations were scattered throughout the concourse and the field.

Power bikes and kinetic dance floors were also present in Bulacan, as well as reusable LED wristbands.

Unfortunately, the Philippines had the lowest return rate of the wristbands at a measly 87%.

A 2023 study by Plymouth University commissioned by Break Free from Plastic put forward reuse as a solution to the plastic problem, saying reuse best fits closed systems like concerts or food courts. For it to work best, the reusables must not look like collectibles, otherwise attendees will take them home.

Despite this, Coldplay is celebrating its sustainability success. Cutting carbon emissions, also referred to as greenhouse gas emissions, is among the most important things to do for the world to curb the climate crisis and meet the 1.5C target set in the Paris Agreement of 2015.

At the moment, the world has warmed 1.2C so every bit of climate action helps — including those initiated by Coldplay in making their tour less carbon intensive.

Touring — with flights, freight, and power — is carbon intensive and an important aspect of the music industry. In its statement, Coldplay acknowledged that "as a band and as an industry, we're a long way from where we need to be."

But the band is leading the music industry — as well as millions of people around the world who count themselves as Coldplay fans — with their sustainability efforts. 

In their statement, the band thanked "everyone who's come to a show and helped charge the show batteries on the power bikes and kinetic dance floors; everyone whose arrived by foot, bike, ride share or public transport; everyone who's come with refillable water bottles or returned their LED wristband for recycling; and everyone who's bought a ticket, which means you've already planted one of 7 million trees so far," it said.

Coldplay played a two-night show in the Philippines last January. Jikamarie was the opening act while Lola Amour served as surprise guest on the first night.

Among those in attendance were the Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

 

 

 

 

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— LA, GMA Integrated News