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Music of the Spheres - World Tour SUSTAINABILITY
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If you’d like to get in touch with a comment, suggestion or question regarding our sustainability initiatives, then we’d love to hear from you. Please use the contact form below.

NB: If you have a fan enquiry which is not related to sustainability, please use this contact form





    Principles

    We pledge to make our Music Of The Spheres Tour as sustainable and low-carbon as possible, guided by three key principles:

    REDUCE

    Reduce our consumption, recycle extensively and cut our CO2 emissions by 50%.

    REINVENT

    Support new green technologies and develop new sustainable, super-low carbon touring methods.

    RESTORE

    Make the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible by funding a portfolio of nature- and technology-based projects and by drawing down significantly more CO2 than the tour produces.

    Initiatives

    CO2 EMISSIONS

    We pledge to cut the tour’s direct emissions by more than 50% compared to our previous tour (2016-17), and work with our partners and suppliers to reduce their impacts and emissions as much as possible.

    We’ve teamed up with DHL as the tour’s Official Logistics Partner in order to minimise emissions from freight and transportation. As leaders in the field of sustainable transport and logistics, DHL will support the tour by offering solutions to minimise logistics-related emissions and other environmental impacts, from advanced biofuels in the air to electric vehicles on land.

    We pledge to drawdown any unavoidable emissions according to the Oxford Principles for Net-Zero Aligned carbon offsetting.

    ACTIONS

    MEASURE

    We will continue to capture climate impact data and calculate our environmental footprint using recognised standards and appropriate conversion factors.

    REDUCE

    We will adapt all tour operations to minimise emissions, in line with the best science and practices: from
    set build to travel to freight to power.

    MITIGATE

    We will avoid fossil fuels, use clean energy and use reusable and sustainable biomaterials wherever possible.

    CO2 drawdown

    Despite our best efforts, the tour will still have a significant carbon footprint. We pledge to drawdown more CO2 than the tour produces supporting projects based on reforestation, rewilding, conservation, soil regeneration, carbon capture & storage and renewable energy.
    As part of this pledge, the tour will fund the planting – and lifelong protection of – millions of new trees including one tree for every ticket sold.

    POWER

    We will power our stage production almost entirely with renewable, super-low emission energy. We will avoid fossil fuels wherever possible.

    SOLAR

    We will install solar photovoltaic panels in the build-up to each show, behind the stage, around the stadium and where possible in the outer concourses. The show batteries will start charging as soon as we arrive at the venue.

    SUSTAINABLE BIOFUELS

    Our partner Neste will provide us with renewable diesel, an HVO-type (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) biofuel, produced 100% from renewable raw materials, primarily waste and residues such as used cooking oil. Renewable Diesel use can lower generator carbon emissions significantly. Renewable diesel will power large parts of our tour transports by trucks, too, meaning super-low emissions, as much as 75 to 95% reduced emissions, from these parts of our show transportation as well.

    BATTERY SYSTEM

    In partnership with BMW, we have developed the first ever mobile, rechargeable show battery - made from recyclable BMW i3 batteries - which will power our show with renewable energy wherever we take it. We will have a number of other batteries in use that we can charge from multiple sources including renewable diesel made from waste, such as used cooking oil, solar energy and even kinetic energy from the fans.

    KINETIC ENERGY

    We will install kinetic floors in certain locations around the stadium so that the fans’ dancing can be converted into energy and will literally help to power the show. We will install electricity-generating pedal bikes so that fans can actively charge our show batteries.

    GRID RENEWABLES

    Whenever it’s available, we will use mains power from 100% renewable sources. (This is why we’re starting the tour in Costa Rica, where 99% of mains power is renewable. Read more)

    TRAVEL

    Although the tour has been carefully routed and pre-planned to minimise air travel, some flying is unavoidable. The band will mostly fly on commercial flights, but there will inevitably be occasions when charter flights are required for band, crew and equipment.

    For all flights, commercial and charter, we will pay a surcharge to use or supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), either for our own use or for others’. Our partner Neste will supply us with Sustainable Aviation Fuel  produced 100% from waste and residues, such as used cooking oil from restaurants. When used unblended with fossil jet fuel, SAF helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions of air travel by up to 80% over the entire life cycle compared to the conventional fossil jet fuel that it replaces.

    Wherever possible, we will use electric vehicles or biofuel for ground freight and transportation.

    STAGE SHOW

    We will send a sustainability rider to all venues and stadiums in advance to request best environmental practices.

    In various locations, in order to minimise freight emissions, we will adapt the show so we can utilise local equipment, materials and resources.

    We will select building materials and show effects based on their environmental credentials:

    STAGE

    The stage will be built from a combination of lightweight, low-carbon and re-usable materials including recycled steel, that can be appropriately reused or recycled at the end of the tour.

    LED WRISTBANDS

    The LED wristbands worn by the audience as part of the show will be made from 100% compostable, plant-based materials.

    We will reduce wristband production by 80% – by collecting, sterilising and recharging them after every show.

    The electronic components will be repurposed for wristbands to be used in future tours.

    LIGHTING & AUDIO

    The show will upgrade to ultra-efficient equipment such as a low-energy LED screens laser and lighting system and a PA system with up to 50% less power consumption compared to the previous tour, which will also dramatically reduce environmental noise outside the venues.

    Special effects

    Confetti used during the show will be 100% biodegradable and will require considerably less compressed gas for ignition than on previous tours.

    We are using a new generation of sustainable pyrotechnics that have less explosive charge and new
    formulas that greatly reduce or eliminate harmful chemicals. All tubing and holders are either biodegradable or recyclable.

    FANS

    Audience travel makes up a major part of any tour’s carbon emissions.

     

    APP

    We have partnered with SAP on the development of a free tour app that encourages fans to use low carbon transport to and from shows. Download the free app here!

    REWARDS

    Fans who commit to low-carbon travel will be given a discount code.

    CO2 DRAWDOWNS

    Based on fans’ use of the app , we will calculate the total carbon footprint of travel to and from shows. We pledge to drawdown all of these emissions via nature-based solutions like rewilding and conservation. As part of this, we will plant at least one new tree per ticket sold, sustained for its lifetime.

    ACTIVATIONS

    The tour will include onsite activations, powered by solar and kinetic energy. These activations will feature interactive and educational experiences highlighting innovations in clean technology and the natural world.

    WATER

    We will maximise our water efficiency.

    Our sustainability rider will ask venues to introduce aerated taps, low flushing toilets and reducing water pressure to alleviate water wastage.

    Water refill stations for the fans will be provided wherever possible.

    Fans are encouraged to bring their own reusable bottles in every venue where it’s possible.

    Our friends at Miir have also created custom-designed water bottles for the tour, as part of our efforts to avoid single-use plastics.⁠ Miir will also be donating to ClientEarth, The Ocean Cleanup North Pacific Foundation and One Tree Planted. Look out for the bottles at shows and at the official Coldplay Store.

    WASTE

    We will minimise waste and promote recycling at our shows.

    REUSE

    Working with venues, we will strive to eliminate the sale of single-use plastic water bottles. They will be replaced with reusable and recyclable alternatives like Ball aluminium cups.

    Recycle

    We will work with each venue to help and encourage them to establish recycling programs within the stadium where not already in place.

    Support

    The tour will also help to clean up waste beyond the concerts themselves by sponsoring the two-tiered work of The Ocean Cleanup:

    River Interceptors remove thousands of tonnes of garbage from some of the most polluting rivers around the world, intercepting waste before it reaches the ocean.

    Ocean Cleanup units are working in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to clear 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.

    FOOD

    The carbon emissions of food can account for up to 20% of a person’s carbon footprint.  Food production, transportation and waste is a massive contributor to climate change and we will address this within our crew catering operation.

    PLANT-BASED

    All our crew catering menus will have plant-based and meat-free options as standard.

    LOCALLY SOURCED

    Organic produce will be sourced from local suppliers or farms that practice regenerative agriculture techniques.

    LAB-GROWN

    We are supporting the development of synthetic, lab-grown cultured foods.

    FOOD BANKS

    We will partner with local food banks to donate any surplus food.

    COMPOSTING

    Organic waste, such as vegetable peelings and scraps, will be composted wherever possible.

    MERCHANDISE

    All merch will be sustainably and ethically sourced.  Where possible, all plastics and polyesters will be replaced with natural alternatives like organic cotton.

    Wherever possible, all merchandise will be made of natural fibres and recycled / recyclable elements.

    Partners and vendors have been carefully selected to provide high quality & sustainable merchandise.

    All products will be sourced with vendors who prove ethical work practices including fair wages and good working conditions.

    Wherever possible, all merchandise will be packaged in recycled paper, card or compostable bags.

    We will also encourage venues to mirror these standards in their food concessions.

    GOOD CAUSES

    As we have always done, we will put 10% of everything we earn (touring, records, publishing etc) into a good causes fund.  These funds will be split between environmental and socially-conscious projects and charities including ClientEarth, The Ocean Cleanup and One Tree Planted.  We are working in partnership with EarthPercent as a founding donor.

    We are not responsible for the content of external websites

    NATURE

    We acknowledge that, despite our best efforts,  the tour will still have a significant carbon footprint.  We pledge to drawdown significantly more emissions than the tour produces by supporting various nature projects around the world, focusing on reforestation, rewilding, conservation and soil regeneration.

    REFORESTATION

    The tour will fund the planting - and lifelong protection of - millions of new trees, including one tree for every ticket sold.

    The initial projects - selected for biodiversity and long-term quality - are below, with future projects in South East Asia, Africa and Australia still to be announced.

    One Tree Planted