Across the world the effects of climate change and the destruction of nature are generating an unprecedented call to action. In October 2018 the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Special Report called for “unprecedented changes” within the next 12 years in order to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees. Climate change is an issue of global concern and people in positions of influence are being called on to act. In September 2019, 6 million people took to the streets to join the biggest climate protest in history.
Cities are uniquely placed in the race against climate change. More and more cities are setting ambitious climate change reduction targets and developing action plans covering all sectors. With the coming changes in climate, all sectors will indeed be forced to examine their production models and make changes, and this includes culture. The cultural sector will have to reduce its environmental impact and come up with innovative solutions which will sometimes call for new competences.
Cultural events and activities link with many crucial systems involved in these action plans, including mobility, waste, energy, sanitation, and food. Event planning brings together range of stakeholders – including urban policy-makers, local businesses, artists, and citizens – providing an ideal platform to galvanise environmental leadership and work together to manage the environmental impacts of events, and identify opportunities for events to contribute positively to sustainable urban development.
Culture also has an essential role to play in imagining and creating changes, inspiring and engaging audiences, sharing knowledge, building a sense of community, and can lead cities to a more sustainable future.
As part of the ROCK EU-funded project, Eurocities and Julie’s Bicycle publish a new guide that will set out the drivers for green governance as they apply to cultural events – and how event organisers can put the procedures, policies and practices in place so that sustainable events can run smoothly. It will then take you on a journey through the key environmental impact areas of cultural events and where to start in managing and reducing them – demonstrated by a diversity of case studies from across Europe. Topics include: energy, waste, noise, transport, water, biodiversity and procurement.
As well as this new guide, you can also learn from ROCK Green Streams, a new series of inspiring talks and presentations in three episodes where we look at how cities initiate, support and encourage cultural events and activities to reduce their environmental impact.
The full series is now available on YouTube.
Take a look at the new guide: Leave a trace not a footprint
