In partnership with the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Massive Attack have published a plan for the “urgent and significant reassembly” of the music industry in response to the climate crisis.
The report, titled Super-Low Carbon Live Music: a roadmap for the UK live music sector to play its part in tackling the climate crisis, was several years in the making. Some of its key recommendations include eliminating the use of private jets and switching to electric transportation for concerts and festivals.
The band also propose that the use of diesel generators at music festivals be phased out by 2025 and make recommendations for a “plug and play model” for venues, which would mean every venue had in-house backline, thereby reducing the burden of gear transportation.
Another interesting recommendation is for the standardisation of equipment worldwide—a practice that would require collaboration on an immense scale so that smaller venues wouldn’t crumble under the weight of the new requirements.
And on this note, Massive Attack leader Robert “3D” Del Naja put out a press release highlighting the sort of cooperation required for the industry to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. “The major promoters simply must do more—it can’t be left to artists to continually make these public appeals,” he said.
Del Naja also called out the UK government for their negligence. “Fossil fuel companies seem to have no problem at all getting huge subsidies from government, but where is the plan for investment in clean battery technology, clean infrastructure, or decarbonised food supply for a live music sector that generates £4.6 billion for the economy every year and employs more than 200,000 dedicated people? It simply doesn’t exist.”
You can find the full report here. Massive Attack plan to trial many of its recommendations on their 2022 European tour.
