Sustainability in the music festival industry

: the power of music to change politics?

Abstract

Climate change and the associated need to shift economic systems towards a circular approach are arguably among the greatest challenges of the 21st century. As policymakers and societies struggle to find suitable solutions, music festivals are stepping into this role to provide ideal testing grounds for circular innovations, as their existence can be compared to small-scale versions of cities. To investigate on this, the report therefore focuses on the categories that cause the most environmental damage at music festivals. These include water and sanitation, energy and electricity, audience travel and logistics, food and drink, and waste, materials and textiles. Hereby, case studies and best practice examples from European music festivals are discussed, while my internship experiences and additional expert interviews add to the body of knowledge. In discussing these concerns, a link is made to social sustainability and digitalization, as they contribute to changing the circular economy of music festivals and beyond likewise. As the report shows, each category addressed at
European music festivals presents promising sustainable and circular solutions that can be applied in society, providing an ideal basis for policy adaptation. In particular, the experts interviewed confirm that policymakers are receptive to this approach and see music festivals as an exemplary base. The innovations and solutions presented bear the potential to contribute to the European Union's goal of becoming carbon neutral and fully circular by 2050. However, there is no evidence yet that music festivals have already actively influenced political decisions towards a circular economy within the European Union.

Date of Award	19 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ana Margarida Abrantes (Supervisor)