How Scotland’s event sector is embracing a response to the climate emergency

In a fast-changing world where the need for environmental change has become increasingly more prevalent, we all have a part to play, whether it’s how we travel, how we consume, or how we act.??Now more than ever, many sectors are looking to accelerate their own response to climate change by reducing their impact, and this continues to be at the forefront for many within Scotland’s events sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic made people pause and think about the future of our planet, and their impact on it. For Scotland’s events sector, despite it being an incredibly challenging period, it also provided a chance to reset and build back responsibly, sustainably, and safely.?

Here at EventScotland, we are committed to working in collaboration with the sector to ensure sustainability is at the heart of their offering. Events themselves are hugely powerful in engaging the public in climate change through their programming, helping inspire and motivate people to make changes in their own lives.?And as we market our country to audiences, we inspire them to enjoy our country in a way that preserves and protects all the things that make Scotland the perfect stage for events.

The whole event eco-system is increasingly more aware of the emphasis on its own impacts, and this continues to extend to event-goers themselves, who expect events to be ‘walking the talk’ when it comes to socially and environmentally responsible practices in the planning, organisation and execution of events.

Scotland is already considered as a leader in the field of responsible tourism and there was no greater opportunity to reinforce this when the eyes of the world were on Glasgow, and Scotland back in November 2021, with the largest business event ever hosted in the UK. COP26 was a significant opportunity to showcase Scotland as a global leader in sustainability and inclusivity.

Throughout 2022, we have continued to work with a range of supported events who have embraced the need to place greater emphasis on innovative and sustainable approaches to safeguard Scotland’s assets. ?Some of the highlights below include:

The 150th Open at St Andrews where The R&A expanded its GreenLinks programme with a range of new and enhanced sustainability measures .?All core emissions were offset through world-leading ‘Gold Standard’ accredited climate projects and for the first time ever, the historic Old Course was mown with a fleet of cutting-edge electric and hybrid-electric Toro equipment.?

The Open Water Initiative also saw nearly 50 additional on-site water refill points being introduced , and the event itself used a combination of temporary generators using sustainably sourced Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Biofuel and solar panels along with renewable grid electricity. It also used sustainable catering consumables across all onsite facilities, and electric vehicles across the Championship fleet.

Image: Water refill station at The 150th Open (credit: The R&A)

Staying on golf, VisitScotland has partnered with GEO Foundation to connect with, support and help accelerate sustainability in and through golf.?This partnership aligns with our overall approach to responsible tourism and helps golf facilities and high-profile tournaments on their journey.

There has also been great initiatives at HebCelt this year with PlusZero powering the much-loved Stornoway festival using green hydrogen produced locally on the Scottish Western Isles. Last month, DF Concerts Connect Festival had a range of packed talks on wellbeing and sustainability on offer and they continue to increase their adoption of HVO fuel across their festivals. Scotland Re:Design (SR:D) returns in November to showcase and promote the best of Scottish Fashion & Textiles with the annual Scottish Fashion Festival focusing on core themes of Equality, Technology and Sustainability. And while the Tiree Wave Classic is all about the power of wind and waves, it is with the annual beach clean that organisers Wild Diamond showcase their sustainable credentials.?

Image: Tiree Wave Classic beach clean 2021 (credit: Richard Whitson)

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has also underlined its ambition to be a leader in environmental innovation and sustainable development in sport by joining the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as the only dedicated cycling organisations signed up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.??The pledge involves supporting the key principles of the framework to not only deliver an event that has sustainability at its core but also to use the platform of a global event as a catalyst for change.

Image: Maree Todd, Minister for Women’s Health, Public Health and Sport, with Trudy Lindblade, CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships (credit: 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships)

Edinburgh's 2030 Festival City Vision has six key ambitions at its core which encompasses shared values of being globally minded, locally rooted and creatively led with specific actions to find innovative, sustainable ways of fulfilling the function of festivals in a net zero carbon future.

Dandelion's message of sustainable action has travelled all over Scotland via its programme of festivals, events, installations, school and community learning, taking a unique approach by bringing together music and art with science and technology, to inspire people to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’, not only their own food, but music and ideas too.?And for Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 , event organisers have responded to the ‘Inspired by Nature’ theme in different ways, including ‘Of Scotland’s Soils and Soul’ where the four Botanic Gardens have an interactive audio trail to share stories about the importance of our natural environment and plant conservation.

Image: Of Scotland’s Soils and Soul (credit: RBGE)

Venues in Scotland are also leading the way in terms of their own green credentials.?The OVO Hydro has achieved A Greener Arena (AGA) certification for its commitment to sustainability - the first arena in the world to do so! Aberdeen’s P&J Live uses local renewable resources and advanced technologies to produce enough power to sustain its operations, and reuses nearly all materials used on property, And Edinburgh’s EICC?sustainability programme, Step Change, focuses on three equally significant, interconnected areas of impact: environmental, societal and economic to collectively address these spheres of impact.

Few industries have the impact that events do, not just on the economy but on health and wellbeing, national?morale?and the ability to bring people and communities together.?Tackling the climate emergency is everyone’s responsibility, it is our present, and our future. A high-profile sector like events must be an active participant in Scotland’s transition to a Net Zero economy by reducing its climate impact and using its influence to educate, inform and drive further change.