As sustainability concerns grow around festivals and music events,  Shambhala, Primavera Sound, and ODESZA are leading the charge toward a greener future.

A Greener Festival (AGF), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the sustainability of events, tours, and venues, has revealed the world’s greenest festivals for 2022.

Among the top placing certified are DGTL, Primavera Sound, and We Love Green with Shambala and Øyafestivalen receiving the “outstanding” certification.

According to AGF, “its certification process has been developed over 17 years in consultation with thousands of events, event services, suppliers and sustainability experts”, certifying and honoring “42 festivals and events from 12 countries.”

ODESZA’s “The Last Goodbye” tour was also ranked the most eco-friendly of all electronic music acts last year. The study was published by Payless Power and claimed ODESZA only emitted 242 tons of CO2 from flight emissions and 12 tons from driving.

They were ranked third overall behind Ed Sheeran’s tour and Chris Brown’s due to their partnership with REVERB to work on making the tour carbon-neutral or carbon-negative.

The study also found that EDM artists produced the most CO2 emissions when compared to Rock, Hip-Hop/Rap, Pop, etc.

AGF CEO Claire O’Neill said in a statement, “After the challenges of COVID and economic instability, we’re so happy that the festival and event sector increasingly fix sustainability at the top of the agenda. Our need to move away from fossil fuels, and industrial animal agriculture, and towards clean energy and mobility, enhanced biodiversity, and diversity has never been more stark. We congratulate those who are taking responsibility and action, and stress there is much work still to be done.”

To learn about how festivals are promoting sustainability, watch the video below:

Featured image and photo credit from Jason Shea