Taking place from 20 to 26 September, Bring Me The Horizon: Post Human Tour is the first tour to achieve demonstrable reductions of touring’s carbon footprint, with emissions reduced by 38% through using renewable fuel for trucks, plant-based meals, food waste reduction, energy efficient equipment, and the prevention of plastic bottles.
As one of the first arena tours in the UK to take place following the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown, the intention of the project was to emerge with a more sustainable touring approach and the BMTH touring team and stakeholders took steps to put the positive words into action with a 38% reduction in touring production emissions with 27.97 tonnes of CO2 avoided, 22 tonnes of which was avoided by switching trucking fuel to HVO renewable diesel.
This was an unprecedented collaboration, all tour stakeholders shared investment and commitment to reducing negative impacts of the tour where possible, identify which reductions were not possible, share findings for future improvements in the live events industry, and finally remove unavoidable residual emissions. Raw Power Management, United Talent Agency (UTA), Kilimanjaro Live, and O2 arena shared the cost of sustainability implementation advice and tour impact audit.
The band invested into recommended mitigation efforts, reducing tour emissions and associated negative impacts. The action was championed by the Tour Production Group (TPG) and A Greener Festival (AGF) who are contributors to the LIVE Beyond Zero Declaration for Net Zero emissions in the Live music and entertainment sector by 2030.
AGF CEO, Claire O’Neill commented: “During the pandemic, the touring music industry came together on the important topic of sustainability. We’re so happy with the results from walking the talk with the first UK Arena Tour off the mark. The report shows a direct link between well-being, stress, and environmental sustainability. Culture change and industry restructuring is essential to achieve a green future for artist touring. There is much still to be done, but these results are undeniable evidence that we can take huge strides to reduce emissions and protect ecosystems immediately. There’s no excuse to delay.”
AGF joined the tour to provide advice and consultancy, to implement and report upon proposed mitigation actions producing this Greener Tour Report and CO2 Analysis.
Raw Power Management’s Matt Ash said: “Working with an artist in BMTH and a tour production team that was fully behind the approach to sustainable touring was something that we absolutely endorsed and are keen to implement on all future touring whenever possible.”
The report not only provides insight for the BMTH touring team to monitor achievements, areas for improvement, and required emissions removals, but is also a resource for other touring productions to use as another step on the road towards A Greener Tour. Kilimanjaro / Action! Promoter, Alan Day said: “Bring Me The Horizon were the first band in the UK, possibly the world, to complete a full non-rescheduled arena tour after the height of the pandemic. Their vision from the start was to produce the tour as environmentally friendly as possible, whilst still giving the audience the best spectacle achievable. From savings in plastic waste, to transport, to accommodation, to stage production and more, I am proud to have produced such a landmark tour and hopefully an example for the future”.
The O2 VP and GM, Steve Sayer added: “The O2 were delighted to collaborate with all the other partners on this important project to build back a more sustainable touring and live music industry. Venues are a big part of the live ecosystem and we are keen to learn how we can further reduce our footprint as we develop our plans to get to net zero; and support the tours do the same. Credit to BMTH for taking the lead on this and showing us the way.”
The stakeholder collaboration will continue beyond this first action, to ensure that all future tours not only implement these positive findings, but continue to find, implement and share solutions for a Greener Tour. The next step is to engage the audience. With the touring “house” getting itself ordered, artists are in a stronger position to use their voice to engender positive change through the millions of individuals who they reach every year.
This article originally appeared in issue #268 of TPi, which you can read here.
To see the full report please visit:
www.agreenerfestival.com/bring-me-the-horizon-post-human-tour-report