Research

Our current research project asseses the GHG impacts of Bands, Orchestras and Theatres touring the UK and internationally. The research is funded by the music industry alongside the British Council, Arts Council and Orchestras Live with support from the Association of British Orchestras. Lead researcher Catherine Bottrill has been joined by Christina Tsiarta to analyse up to 100 samples ranging from small club artists, chamber orchestras and small touring companies to stadium tours, symphony orchestras and major west end productions. You can expect to see the results of this work in Spring 2010.

The Carbon Impacts of Recorded Music Production in a Time of Transition

This paper is a position piece in response to the small number of research documents, including our own, that examine energy use and carbon reduction associated with recorded music, with an emphasis on digital. It specifically recommends some further research into downloading and streaming. While this piece is focused on music it does have relevance for a much wider creative community.  The creative industries are rapidly shifting to digital, and in that context we need to examine the impacts of the new business models and listening behaviours so that we can match the force of digital with the interests of a low carbon infrastructure.

Digital Music Behavior and Music Perceptions of Carbon Impacts

This article was written by Tim Chapman from Cranfield University in collaboration with Julie's Bicycle. 

Using quantitative analysis it explores the common preconception that physical music delivery has a greater carbon impact than that of digital music. It also evaluates the extent to which user perception of carbon impacts influence listening choice. 

In 2008, Julie’s Bicycle released the findings of the report First Step: UK Music Industry Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2007. The report identified that annual audience travel to music events accounts for 43% (231,000 t CO2e) of GHG emissions from the UK music industry. Of this, music festivals contribute 24% of all music audience travel emissions – that is 68% of the festival sector’s total emissions.

Julie’s Bicycle convened a small group, chaired by Melvin Benn (CEO Festival Republic) and supported by a wider constituency of promoters, to identify next steps. This report is the first cross industry response to this issue. Research priorities were to analyse audience attitudes to festival travel and other live events, promote dialogue between operators, promoters and local authorities, and identify barriers and opportunities to reduce emissions.

Audience travel is an indirect GHG emissions source and therefore impossible for the music industry to control wholly by itself. It requires a complex, imaginative and coordinated approach across a range of parties, taking into account transport infrastructure, audience attitudes, commercial pressures, and local concerns. Committed partnerships focused on emissions reductions are needed between the music industry, local authorities, travel operators and non-government organisations.

CD packaging is one of the music industry’s largest sources of direct GHG emissions, accounting for a third of recording and publishing,  and at least 10% of the total emissions, from the UK music market.

Julie’s Bicycle convened a working group of industry, science and specialist experts under the leadership of Tony Wadsworth, to scrutinise the science and the business of CD packaging and come up with some solutions. The group commissioned leading consultancy Arup to analyse the impacts and come up with some recommendations. In July 2008 Arup produced the report: Reducing the Impact of CD Packaging with a startling result: that the recording industry could reduce its packaging emissions by up to 95% by switching from the plastic jewel case to card wallet. Research into consumer preferences and manufacturer capacity supported the recommendation to switch from plastic to card. The majority of the record industry have committed to a 10% reduction in their packaging emissions in 2009.

In August 2007 Julie’s Bicycle commissioned the Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University, to

- estimate annual greenhouse gas emissions of the UK music industry
- identify the key constraints and opportunities for reducing emissions
- make initial recommendations for specific actions and priorities for the medium term

Researchers worked with over 100 companies across the music business supply chain - limited to UK decision control. The report, is the most extensive and rigorous research yet to examine a creative industry supply chain in the UK.
 
The indicative total shows that the UK music market is responsible for approximately 540,000 tonnes CO2e per annum. While this is not as intensive as many industries, it is a significant challenge to reduce CO2e emissions by 80% by 2050.