Massive Attack staged Act 1.5, a large-scale climate action accelerator event on 25th August 2024 at Clifton Downs, Bristol. The attached document was distributed at the event. Details of the event and some of their sustainability measures are below.
The event marked the culmination of 25 years of climate activism on the part of the band, and a first physical fruition of their collaboration with climate scientists and analysts from the renowned Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, including Massive Attack’s commissioning of the Paris 1.5 compatible roadmap for decarbonisation of the Live Music Sector.
The band had previously planned a prototype show of this nature in Liverpool; ambitions that were thwarted by global pandemic and their boycotting of an Arms Fair being held in the city. As part of the ACT 1.5 initiative, Liverpool has now become the first City worldwide to commit to a global gold standard of Paris 1.5 compatible carbon reductions as a condition for licensing major live music events.
Massive Attack were the first band globally to become members of the UN Race to Zero programme – committing all of their touring & production activities to Paris 1.5 compatible decarbonisation measures, in all scopes 1, 2 and 3 – and the band have now worked together with partners UN Race To Zero, Zenobe, Ecotricity, Train Hugger and Act 1.5 to construct a unique event.
Decarbonisation measures for the Bristol Downs festival included:
- A localised presale period to deter private car travel Anyone living within Bristol, Bath and the surrounding Gloucestershire, Swindon and Taunton area postcodes will be able to access the local pre-sale which goes live to sign-ups at 10am on Wednesday 6th December.)
- The entire event site powered entirely by 100% renewable energy.
- A rail travel incentive initiative that will generate a vital drawdown of audience travel emissions (where up to 80% of emissions for major live music events are generated)
- A meat free arena
- Free post-show electric shuttles to main rail hubs.
- 100% zero to landfill waste removal
- As a show legacy, the creation of a new, climate resilient woodland plantation in the South West region in partnership with Train Hugger and The Royal Forestry Society.
- All touring & production vehicles electric or fuelled by verified 100% waste product HVO fuel.