The Music Climate Pact (MCP) today publishes its annual report, highlighting key areas of progress in the year leading up to Earth Day in April.
This has been led by the work of three working groups that were set up to study and deliver solutions around digital consumption, vinyl production and climate training.
The work around digital and vinyl has focused on developing a granular understanding of their carbon impact, and how meaningful reductions can be made to achieve sustainable decarbonisation that also takes account of the industry’s strategic needs.
“The approach recognises that progress requires the industry’s workforce to be invested in the idea of change and be given the tools to become more climate literate,” stated the report.
Roxy Erickson (pictured), Music Climate Pact project manager, said: “The goals of the Music Climate Pact are as ambitious as they are vital to achieve. Bringing together all parts of the global music industry to rethink their priorities and practices, as we look to collectively decarbonise, is no easy undertaking, but there is a real commitment across the music community to achieve meaningful change so we can build a more sustainable future.
“As we began to map out how best to achieve our goals, it became clear our priority had to be to improve the base data so that we could fully understand where our biggest impacts can be made as we work with all parts of the value chain to create positive action. At the same time, we need to upskill our industry’s workforce with sustainable practices and knowledge to ensure best practice becomes second nature.
“I am so pleased that all three working groups are making such strides in understanding the challenges and where the opportunities lie to put forward practical recommendations that, once accepted, will create a route map for meaningful change. My sincere thanks to everyone involved for their valued contributions.”
Convened by the UK’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) in collaboration with UK labels association, the BPI, the MCP was established by record company signatories and industry supporters. Its core aim is to ‘decarbonise’ the global music business in alignment with climate science.
To deliver against its core goal and supporting objectives, the MCP has been working in three areas considered key by setting up working groups drawn from the signatories and supporters: Digital Consumption, Vinyl Production and Climate Training.
It has led to the creation of a new guide for record labels to help them identify where they can innovate, improve processes and eliminate inefficiencies to reduce carbon impact and energy use.
The goals of the Music Climate Pact are as ambitious as they are vital to achieve
Roxy Erickson
Caroline Hansen, co-chair Digital Working Group, and head of operations at Warp Records, said: “Streaming now accounts for the vast majority of the world’s music consumption, and the significant environmental impact of this must be brought to the forefront of our conversations as an industry. In physical music formats, whose production and distribution processes are arguably more complex, we've made significant progress in developing a carbon measurement methodology and have a clear understanding of our emissions.
“However, the digital side still doesn’t have visibility of the full extent of the impact on our environment. We are keen to work with our DSP and music distributor partners to better understand this and determine how we can act together to reduce emissions and environmental impacts.”
Additionally, the DWG plans to issue streaming top 10 tips guidance to fans to suggest ways they can reduce the impact of their consumption on the environment, without lessening their enjoyment of the music experience.
The Vinyl Working Group (VWG) has focused on a two-phase sustainable supplier programme developed jointly with the Vinyl Alliance and with Climate Partner to address the environmental impact of vinyl manufacturing.
This establishes a consistent method for measuring product-level emissions to improve Scope 3 reporting for record labels and identify practical pathways for reducing carbon emissions across the vinyl supply chain.
This project found that record manufacturing now creates significantly fewer emissions overall than previously thought, although there is still further work to be done.
Next steps point to potential solutions that include collective renewable energy purchasing, shared investment in manufacturing improvements and the development of common industry standards for emissions reporting and recycled content. To support this transition, the Vinyl Alliance is establishing a dedicated role to coordinate further collaboration between Pact signatories, manufacturers and suppliers.
In a joint statement, co-chairs of the VWG, Ian Stanton of Beggars Group, and John Service of Key Production, said: “Through the combined efforts of the Vinyl Working Group, the Vinyl Alliance, and Climate Partner and thanks to the improved data and visibility we now have, we know there is a breadth of steps we can collectively take to reduce the impact vinyl manufacturing has on our environment, without undermining the music experience we all value.
“To achieve this meaningful change requires collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the entire value chain, and we’ve seen a strong appetite across the sector to move in this direction. Artists and fans increasingly expect sustainable choices, and this work gives us the tools and partnerships needed to meet those expectations together.”
In addition, the MCP is in the process of developing specialist training for all record label staff, beginning with those who can create the most positive climate impact, and/or whose departments are responsible for the highest carbon emissions.
This training will be rolled out first to physical production and distribution, communication/marketing, and artist support departments.
Co-chair of this working group, RJ Frankenberry, with responsibility for sustainability at UMG, said: “The Pact’s signatories and supporters are committed to unlocking and delivering meaningful change that will see the music community operate ever-more sustainably.
“A fundamental element of this has to be the industry’s workforce having the knowledge they need to make informed decisions that build climate impact and best practice swiftly into their thinking and actions. We are excited to create the funding mechanism that will enable us to take this important work forward.”
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