The 1975 are set to make history this year, as they will be hosting the world’s first carbon-removed arena event at the iconic O2 in London. This groundbreaking incentive was announced earlier this week, with the venue confirming that they will be staging the world’s first carbon-neutral events at the start of 2024 – and The 1975’s live shows will be the first on the list.
The upcoming pilot events in February will use a variety of methods to physically extract the carbon generated from the events and remove it from the atmosphere. This data will be used to work out the cost of removing the carbon associated with the events, and this cost can be folded into the existing business model. If successful, this will help pave the way for a new practice model for venues, promoters, and tours worldwide, and will encourage the reduction of carbon emissions in the live entertainment industry.
“We’re incredibly proud to be hosting the world’s first carbon-removed events here at The O2,” said Sam Booth, the Director of Sustainability at AEG Europe. “The perfect large-scale carbon-free event does not currently exist, but while the industry continues to innovate and improve to reduce emissions to their lowest possible level, carbon removals will remain an important piece of the puzzle.” The sentiment was echoed by CUR8’s Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer Mark Stevenson, who said: “What’s great about these shows is that we can demonstrate that it is now possible to fold the cost of removing the residual CO2 into the existing business model, such that fans won’t notice any difference in the gig experience. It’s a complete win-win-win – for artists and their fans who care about the climate crisis.”
The 1975’s shows at the pilot event will be part of their ‘Still At Their Very Best’ tour, which will kick off with a 32-date North American tour in September. The tour will then move on to the UK and Europe, and will wrap up in Cologne, Germany on March 22.
The band have long been advocates for tackling climate change and making a positive impact on the environment. In 2019, they called on their fans to plant trees as part of their commitment to the cause. They have also joined forces with climate activist Greta Thunberg and the organisation Music Declares Emergency, releasing a charity t-shirt with the words ‘No Music On A Dead Planet’ to raise funds for their cause.
If you’d like to find out more about the O2’s sustainability practices and Good Vibes All Round initiative, you can visit their website. Don’t miss out on your chance to be part of this historic event – find tickets for The 1975’s tour here.
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