Organisers of major cultural and sporting events should offer discounts and financial incentives – in the form of cheaper tickets – to fans that make efforts to reduce their carbon emissions, a new study by the University of Cambridge has suggested.
According to the study, the majority of carbon emissions associated with ‘mega-events’ such as the recent FIFA World Cup come from audience travel, with the researchers suggesting that organisers should take steps to encourage more sustainable travel choices by rewarding supporters.
The recent expansion of the FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams increased the carbon footprint of the tournament by approximately 594,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, bringing total emissions to around 4.23 million tonnes, the researchers note. More than four fifths (82%) of these emissions were attributed to spectator travel.
According to the researchers, if the cost of mitigating emissions from the World Cup was passed on to fans, match tickets would need to increase by around $114 per ticket, on average.
The research also analysed Coldplay‘s 2024 European tour, which took place across ten cities and incorporated some 32 concerts. While Coldplay sought to reduce the emissions associated with the tour, by relying on renewable energy, the biggest reduction in emissions – as much as 98% – came from fans voluntarily changing how they travelled.
Travel-related emissions associated with fans were reduced by 48%, which in turn reduced the tour’s overall footprint by 46%, according to the research.
Travel footprint
“Effective climate strategies for mega-events like the World Cup go well beyond reducing operational emissions at venues, as this is only a fraction of the overall footprint,” said Professor Shaun Larcom, corresponding author on the study. “As we find with Coldplay’s approach, real sustainability comes when organisers influence the wider system of fan behaviour, from transport and routing to decisions about the scale and design of an event.”
“We now regularly see record-breaking temperatures as a result of climate change, which will limit if and how these mega-events can be staged in future. If hugely popular blockbuster events cannot take responsibility for their emissions, it gives little hope for elsewhere.”
Two-part framework
The researchers propose a two-part framework for assessing the climate impact of large events.
Firstly, organisers should weigh an event’s economic and social benefits against its environmental costs to determine whether it remains justifiable. Secondly, responsibility for emissions should be shared – while organisers should remain accountable for emissions from venues and event operations, indirect emissions from spectator travel should also be addressed through incentives, ticket pricing and transport planning.
“Live entertainment is environmentally consequential,” added Jascha Servi, lead author of the study. “But unlike many carbon-intensive industries that operate under thin margins and at a distance from consumers, mega-events generate substantial economic value and are uniquely close to their audiences – giving them both the means and the cultural influence to lead on climate action.” Read more here.
