A peer-reviewed study from the Centre for Events and Festivals and A Greener Future argues that large music festivals cannot keep growing and cut emissions at the same time. The authors point to audience travel as the biggest source of festival carbon impact, and they say on-site fixes like compostable cups and solar stages do not offset that. They recommend making strict carbon budgets a condition of festival licensing and turning travel demand management from an aspiration into a requirement. The paper also raises the option of reducing capacity, or degrowth, for events that cannot cut emissions otherwise. It cites Download, Glastonbury, Coachella and Bonnaroo as examples of festivals operating at a scale that outpaces efficiency gains. Bonnaroo is already taking 2027 off to let its Tennessee site recover from severe weather damage. For event organizers, the tension is clear: ticket sales drive revenue, but licensing rules tied to carbon budgets could force a choice between volume and sustainability. The full study is published by the Centre for Events and Festivals.
