A Greener Future (AGF), a not-for-profit dedicated to helping the event industry cut emissions and waste, has released its 2024 Annual Festival Sustainability Insights. Based on detailed assessments of 40 festivals across 16 countries and 4 continents, the report documents a sector actively rethinking its environmental impact.
From food to fuel, the data shows concrete steps in the right direction: more meat-free menus, less waste, cleaner energy, and modest gains in low-carbon travel.
We checked the results and also took a dive into the methodology used. As an extra, do check this Ecosia video on how Festivals can go green.
- 1 Who is AGF and Why This Report Matters
- 2 What’s Changed in 2024
- 3 Decarbonising the Plate: Food & Beverage
- 4 Energy: The Fossil-Fuel Hangover
- 5 Waste & Water: Getting Cleaner, Not Clean Yet
- 6 Transport: Still the Elephant in the Tent
- 7 Carbon Emissions: What’s Driving the Footprint?
- 8 The Road Ahead: From Niche to Normal
Who is AGF and Why This Report Matters
AGF – A Greener Future – has been a quiet but steady force in the live event industry for nearly two decades. Founded to guide festivals toward environmentally responsible practices, the organization offers certification, training, diagnostics, and carbon foot printing for events worldwide.
Their annual Sustainability Insights Report isn’t exactly a PR stunt – it’s built on rigorous data collected during on-site assessments and post-event evaluations. Each year, AGF evaluates how festivals perform against environmental benchmarks and helps organizers quantify their impact using standardized tools.
The 2024 report covers events ranging from grassroots community gatherings to large-scale, internationally attended music festivals. The combined reach spans Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Oceania, providing a rare and global snapshot of how this multibillion-dollar industry is evolving.
Why it matters? Because festivals mirror societal trends – and shape them. With audiences often in the tens or hundreds of thousands, every decision on food, waste, energy, and transport ripples far beyond the festival grounds.
What’s Changed in 2024
The 2024 data shows growing ambition – but also the limits of voluntary transition. AGF found encouraging signs, especially in food and waste management, but challenges remain in decarbonizing energy and transport.
| Category | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fully plant-based or vegetarian festivals | 8% | 20% |
| Events banning single-use plastics | – | 70% |
| Site-wide reusable cup systems | – | 67% |
| Recycling rate | 43% | 49% |
| Average waste per person per day | – | 0.8 kg |
| Festivals running on 100% mains power | – | 26% |
| Festivals using HVO fuel only | – | 20% |
Decarbonising the Plate: Food & Beverage
The food served at festivals is a major lever for change and the industry knows it. In 2024, 20% of festivals went fully vegetarian or vegan, up from just 8% the previous year. This shift is driven by the fact that industrial meat production is one of the most carbon-intensive sectors globally.
According to a study published in Nature Food, animal-based food production accounts for approximately 57% of greenhouse gas emissions from the food sector, while plant-based foods contribute about 29%. This indicates that meat production alone is responsible for nearly 60% of emissions within the food industry.
82% of events now operate under a formal food and beverage sustainability policy. Meanwhile, bans on single-use plastics and widespread use of reusable cup systems are reducing waste volume on site and downstream.
| Food & Drink Insights | % of Festivals (2024) |
|---|---|
| Fully vegetarian or vegan | 20% |
| Reusable cup systems | 67% |
| Food data collection in place | 54% |
| Formal food & drink policy | 82% |
| Banned single-use plastics | 70% |
Energy: The Fossil-Fuel Hangover
While food choices are improving, powering festivals still relies heavily on fossil fuels. Generators remain standard at 72% of festivals, particularly smaller and rural ones. Diesel is still widely used, although HVO – a renewable alternative made from plant-based oils – is slowly gaining ground.
Some large events have managed full transitions. One notable 2024 highlight: Massive Attack’s Act 1.5 concert, which broke a Guinness World Record as the lowest-carbon gig ever. Powered entirely by batteries charged with wind and solar energy, the event had no generators and served only plant-based food.
| Power Mix (2024) | % of Festivals |
|---|---|
| Used generators (any portion) | 72% |
| Fully on mains/grid electricity | 26% |
| 100% HVO fuel | 20% |
| Entirely on renewable or battery | 2 events |
Waste & Water: Getting Cleaner, Not Clean Yet
Recycling is trending in the right direction. The average site recycling rate rose to 49% in 2024, up from 38% in 2022. Waste per person averaged 0.8kg daily, with camping festivals generating almost three times as much as non-camping ones.
| Waste Management (2024) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average daily waste per person | 0.8 kg |
| Waste at camping festivals | 1.4 kg |
| Waste at non-camping festivals | 0.5 kg |
| Site recycling rate | 49% |
| Biodegradable waste separation | 70% |
| Food redistribution programs | 23% |
Water use is also under scrutiny. Average daily consumption was 15 litres per person, a fraction of the EU household average (140 litres/day), though compost toilets and accurate water metering remain underutilized.
Transport: Still the Elephant in the Tent
Audience travel remains the single largest source of emissions – accounting for up to 94% of total carbon footprints in some cases. Despite growing use of electric vehicles and better public transport at some rural festivals, 62% of attendees still arrive at rural events by private car.
| Transport Trends (2024) | % |
|---|---|
| Rural attendees using private car | 62% |
| Urban attendees using private car | 36% |
| Events with over 70% local audiences | 33% |
| Share of domestic artists | 68% |
Carbon Emissions: What’s Driving the Footprint?
Emissions per person vary wildly, depending on event size, location, audience travel, and food offerings. Some camping festivals now produce less than 10% of their emissions from food. Others, still reliant on meat and dairy-heavy menus, report up to 40% from catering alone.
| Carbon Emissions Insights | Range |
|---|---|
| Share from audience travel | 35–94% |
| Share from food (non-meat-free festivals) | Up to 40% |
| Share from food (meat-free festivals) | Below 10% |
AGF’s methodology uses established tools including Agribalyse, the GHG Protocol, and regional emissions databases (UK DESNZ, ADEME) to estimate emissions. Only newly purchased items are counted in the material footprint, making the data conservative but accurate.
The Road Ahead: From Niche to Normal
Claire O’Neill, AGF’s CEO, puts it plainly: “Going plant-based costs nothing and cuts emissions immediately. That’s a no-brainer. The harder challenge is energy and transport, but we now know what works – battery storage, grid power, public transport incentives. Festivals just need to act on it.”
The festival industry, long associated with hedonism, escapism, and waste, is now being pushed into reality. This isn’t just about optics. The climate crisis demands transformation, and events that bring together tens of thousands of people can’t afford to stay stuck in 1999.
Festivals are literally becoming testbeds for sustainable innovation. The crowd is ready. The infrastructure is emerging. The question is whether the will can match the moment.
