Music festivals and live events are making progress on sustainability commitments, according to a new analysis by A Greener Future (AGF).
AGF shared insights on the sustainability performance of 24 festivals across 12 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and South America, covering areas such as energy use, food and drink, waste management, travel and transport.
All assessed festivals participated in AGF’s Greener Festival certification programme during 2025.
Food and beverage
As it found, 94% of assessed festivals had a formal sustainable food and beverage policy in place, while 89% used reusable cups and 85% had banned single-use plastic knives, forks and other implements.
Vegan and vegetarian dishes accounted for an average of 53% of all food served by volume, while close to a fifth (17%) of festivals operated entirely with vegetarian or vegan menus.
Energy use
Energy use was another focus of the study, with a quarter of the festivals assessed run entirely on mains electricity, while 17% generated at least part of their energy through on-site renewable sources or battery systems.
The majority (71%) of festivals still relied on generators for some or all of their power requirements, however close to half (47%) used hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) instead of diesel fuel, and 17% had more than 5% of their power supplied by on-site renewables.
Waste and recycling
In terms of waste and recycling, the average recycling rate across all assessed festivals was 56%, with five events recording a rate of more than 70%. Average waste generation was calculated at 0.76 kilograms per person per day, however camping festivals generated 1.34 kilograms of waste per person per day.
The majority (92%) of festivals said that they monitored audience travel patterns, with close to half (49%) of all attendees coming from local areas, and nearly one-third of festivals reporting local audience rates exceeding 70%. On average, close to two thirds (63%) of festival line ups were comprised of domestic talent.
Sustainability commitments
In terms of wider sustainability commitments, AGF found that almost all (95%) of festivals had environmental or sustainability policies in place, 87% had equality, diversity and inclusion policies, and two fifths (58%) invested in nature-positive environmental projects or carbon removals.
All 100% of the festivals assessed had a dedicated sustainability manager or team in place.
More information can be found at www.agreenerfuture.com.
