The Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI), the foremost conference for sustainable events, welcomed over 400 delegates to the Royal Lancaster London for the 17th edition on 25 February, uniting Industry leaders, artists and policymakers.
Hosted by A Greener Future, CEO Claire O’Neill and Director Teresa Moore started the day’s proceedings by welcoming participants and highlighting that “GEI is a safe space for those who are like-minded and want to make change” and that the actions of the sector are more important than ever as “Geopolitics have changed and doing the right thing for that reason alone is not enough anymore.”
This was followed by a packed day of inspirational innovators from the global live music, sports, and event sector, tackling critical sustainability topics with speakers who brought knowledge, insight, and passion to the panels and conversations.
Headline session Act 1.5 and Beyond focused on the groundbreaking work of Massive Attack and their collaborators, following their huge proof-of-concept show in Bristol last year, and UN Accelerator City being awarded to Liverpool in 2024.
Hosted by AGF’s Claire O’Neill, the session featured environmentalist Dale Vince (Ecotricity) and professor of climate and energy policy Carly McLachlan (Tyndall Centre), plus writer and Act 1.5 lead producer.
“The theory and critique was important, but we didn’t want to just produce reports…[the idea was to] bring as many identities together and create a proof-of-concept show,” said Donne. “We know it works, we know fans want to do it and buy into it, but how do you begin to proliferate this stuff? How do you scale it? How do you work with the government and authorities?”
Held last August on Clifton Downs, the 32k-cap Massive Attack gig, sponsored by Ecotricty, was powered by 100% renewable energy, served 100% vegan food, and is now confirmed as breaking a world record for producing the lowest ever carbon emissions.
Minister for Climate, Kerry McCarthy MP Bristol East from DESNZ delivered a keynote speech about the important role of the events and creative sectors in achieving net zero. McCarthy said “It’s not enough to have the ‘cool’ people on your side saying that what you’re doing is wonderful” giving the US election as an example. She also highlighted the importance of “involving and engaging people around the changes and opportunities of the transition” and that “engaging young people in this mission is particularly important.”
Danielle Magalhaes (Secretariat to the Climate Framework at UNFCCC) then took to the stage alongside Dale Vince OBE where she highlighted that: “Cultural platforms such as the music industry offer a great opportunity to put together action-related transformation on climate related issues, and inspire collaboration between people on issues related to climate” and that “we need to change the narrative of despair and negativity, and we also need everyone to make the change”.
Vince explained that football was a great platform for reaching fans and bringing them this message about the environment: “We’ve taken the football industry from a place of disbelief and denial to a place where everyone’s on board.”
Following a beautiful musical introduction from Jason Singh, who blends the sounds of nature with music, the highly anticipated EarthPercent Hour saw artists Declan McKenna and Moby in a keynote conversation with EarthPercent CEO Cathy Runciman in which they explored how music and culture can serve the planet. “Being playful with music isn’t purely escapism,” said McKenna. “I think all of my music has some reference to something I feel about the world. I just don’t wanna write from a non-genuine place as art is a form of expression for politics and addressing social change.”
Moby (who digitally joined us from his home in LA) discussed his feelings around the LA fires and how he got back into touring. “My manager kept trying to convince me to get back on the saddle, and I resisted for the longest time. Then, he finally tricked and trapped me. He suggested that I could give my money to animal rights and climate organisations. Goddamn it, I couldn’t say no.”
He went on to highlight the issues with animal agriculture stating: “If we give up animal agriculture, we reduce climate change by 30%, we reduce healthcare spending by 60% to 70%, we prevent almost all pandemics, we end rainforest deforestation, we almost end ocean acidification, we end ocean plastic in the ocean by about 50%… an alien would ask us why do you keep sustaining and subsidising an industry that destroys everything it touches, and I’d answer that we’re idiots”.
The LA fires theme continued in the Events in the New Climate: Damage Limitation session, which tackled the topic of extreme and unpredictable weather chaired by Greg Cochrane (journalist and broadcaster), with panellists including Dr Clair Barnes (World Weather Attribution / Imperial College London).
During the session, Erik Distler (AEG) stated: “It’s a reminder that these extreme weather events happen to people and we need to think about how to respond from a sustainability perspective. It makes these important conversations a bit more real when you see and feel those impacts in your own life and community”.
Megan Best (Native Events/Julies Bicycle Europe) talked about solutions to mitigate extreme weather impacts by: “putting money behind solid assets and infrastructure that will outlast these events and effects”
Global Perspectives and Common Cause, hosted by Sangeeta Waldron (Serendipity PR), this moving panel addressed issues we face collectively and individually that create division and intolerance, and how events can influence and be an agent for good. Madame Gandhi explained her recent visit to Antarctica with a group of musicians and activists to record the sound of climate change.
”Over the last five years, I really opened up my mind as an artist. My journey has always been looking at music as an opportunity for activism.” She continued: “As humans, I’d like to think that when we’re given the chance to do something with goodness, it’s possible for us to make a difference.”
The agenda also discussed important topics including Food & Drink, Power, Water & Sanitation, Greener Touring and making disabled people’s access to live events environmentally sustainable.
Important reports and research projects were presented in the sessions TICKET TO RIDE, Festival Biodiversity Impact Blueprint by WE LOVE GREEN, The Social Sustainability of EDI in Festivals: Challenge or Opportunity hosted by AEME, the NAA Green Guide for Arenas, and the AGF Annual Festival Impacts Report 2024.
The day ended with the International AGF Awards 2025 sponsored by Skydiamond and hosted by Madame Gandhi and Claire O’Neill, with 34 events, venues, and innovators from 14 countries as finalists. The top accolades – the International Greener Arena Award and the International Greener Festival Award 2025 – went to Forest Green Rovers FC – The New Lawn and Norway’s Øyafestivalen respectively, with the latter also scooping the Greener Transport Award. View all winners here.
GEI delegates toasted the winners, followed by a final networking drinks reception with devilishly good vegan balls courtesy of Devil’s Kitchen.
GEI17 is organised by A Greener Future in partnership with the International Live Music Conference and was kindly supported by Ecotricity, TAIT, and The O2.
