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1 | Big thanks to event sustainability legends who helped flesh out this incredible timeline of our sector's development. Shawna McInley, Holger Schmidt, Linnéa Svensson, Fiona Pelham, Christopher Johnson, Lyke Poortvliet, Luke Howell, Matthew Mak, Rob van Wegen, Jill Savery, Jaime Nack, Ann Duffy, Jacob Bilabel, Guy Bigwood, David Stubbs, Félix Barros Ribalta. Special mention to those involved in setting the foundations for our industry: Roger Simons, Christian Druart, Emma Wellman, Julie Duffus, Dan Reading, Claire O'Neil, Nancy Zavada, Amy Spatrisano, Paul Salinger, Julia Spangler, Beatrice Eastham, Amanda Kiely, Paul Schurink, Milan Meyberg, Phil Cumming, Alison Tickell, Rob Scully, Eric Ritz, Rasmus Hørsted Jensen, Søren Stochholm, Carlijn Lindemulder, Leor Rotchild, Livvy Drake, Tim Benson, and many more who have followed! | |||||||||||||
2 | GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY MILESTONES | YEAR | STANDOUT UPTAKE OF SUSTAINABLE EVENT MANAGEMENT | EVENT SUSTAINABILITY THEMED INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS OR ORGANISATIONS | INDUSTRY INITIATIVES | STANDARDS, BENCHMARKS, CERTIFICATIONS | GUIDELINES, BOOKS, TRAINING | REPORTS | AWARDS | CONFERENCES | Cities/States/Region or Industry Association Guidelines or requirements | Key Academic Studies | Sports Federations, Associations | |
3 | Silent Spring Rachel Carson | 1962 | IOC/UNEP World Conference on Sport and Environment 10th and final edition in 2013 | |||||||||||
4 | Spaceship Economics Kenneth Boulding | 1966 | ||||||||||||
5 | The Club of Rome | 1970 | ||||||||||||
6 | The Limits to Growth | 1972 | ||||||||||||
7 | ||||||||||||||
8 | Assessing the impact of hallmark events conceptual and research issues Brent Ritchie | |||||||||||||
9 | 1987 | First Solar Power at Festival Croissant Neuf & Wind and Sun Pioneer solar power for festivals at Glastonbury Festival (UK) | ||||||||||||
10 | The Natural Step | 1989 | ||||||||||||
11 | AR1 Climate Change Synthesis Report, IPCC | 1990 | ||||||||||||
12 | ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability | |||||||||||||
13 | 1991 | First Cup Deposit System RhEINKULTUR Festival Germany, last edition 2011 | Guidelines Green Partnerships Guide Canadian Pacific Hotels Includes first mentions of 'green' meetings. Becomes Fairmont hotels and 'Eco-Meet' programme | |||||||||||
14 | Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) Updated continually and most recent model 2015 | 1992 | ||||||||||||
15 | UN Earth Summit | |||||||||||||
16 | Agenda 21 Action Plan | |||||||||||||
17 | EMAS Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (Europe) | 1993 | ||||||||||||
18 | First UN COP on Biodiversity | 1994 | First to include environment Lillehammer Winter Olympics IOC & UNEP sign collaborative agreement Environment becomes 'third dimension' of Olympism | First Book Greening Our Games: Running Sports Events and Facilities that won't Cost the Earth | ||||||||||
19 | AR2 Climate Change Synthesis Report, IPCC | 1995 | IOC creates Sport and Environment Commission later renamed Sustainability and Legacy Commission | IOC/UNEP World Conference on Sport and Environment 10th and final edition in 2013 | ||||||||||
20 | ISO 14001: Environmental Management Systems Current edition 2015 | 1996 | Olympic Charter includes a paragraph environmental protection | |||||||||||
21 | Kyoto Protocol | 1997 | First Green Golf Tournament Ryder Cup Valderrama, Spain | |||||||||||
22 | Global Reporting Initiative | |||||||||||||
23 | Living Planet Index | |||||||||||||
24 | Captain Charles Moore discovers Great Pacific Garbage Patch | |||||||||||||
25 | Journal of Industry Ecology (Circular Ecomony academics) | |||||||||||||
26 | Living Planet Report WWF, First Report | 1998 | ||||||||||||
27 | 1999 | IOC includes environmental matters in its charter | First Meetings Guidelines BlueGreen Meetings US EPA/Oceans Blue Foundation | First Sports Federation Guidelines Environmental Guidelines Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), current guidelines 2021 | ||||||||||
28 | First Sports Federation Guidelines Environmental Guidelines Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), current guidelines 2021 | |||||||||||||
29 | UN Global Compact | 2000 | Sydney 2000 Olympics/Paralymics ‘The Green Games’ | Book Greenpeace Olympic Environmental Guidelines | Play the Game Scandinavia, 14th Conference in 2025 | |||||||||
30 | Millenium Devleopment Goals | |||||||||||||
31 | Backcasting | |||||||||||||
32 | AR3 Climate Change Synthesis Report, IPCC | 2001 | Book Sustainable Sport Management | |||||||||||
33 | The International Society for Industrial Ecology | |||||||||||||
34 | Bangladesh first country to ban plastic bags | 2002 | First Industry Group Event Greening Forum, South Africa | |||||||||||
35 | UNEP Sport and Environment Policy | 2003 | Open Air St Gallen Switzerland First introduce 'Trash Heroes', one of Europe's first event environmental initiatives | Green Meetings Industry Council, USA Merges into EIC 2016 | First Industry Assessment Programme Eco Lighthouse standard for events + Øyafestivalen, Norway | First Award IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award 21st year in 2024 | ||||||||
36 | One Planet Living | |||||||||||||
37 | Legacy included in Olympic Charter | |||||||||||||
38 | IUCN World Conservation Congress passes resolution on threats to nature from Olympic Games and major sporting events | 2004 | Coachella TRASHed: Art of Recycling + Global Inheritance | Sounds For Nature Germany | First Festival Guidelines Environmental Handbook (English) Øyafestivalen, Norway | |||||||||
39 | 2005 | Positive Impact Events UK | First Olympics Guidelines IOC Manual on Sport and the Environment | |||||||||||
40 | Guidelines A Model Event, Peats Ridge Festival | |||||||||||||
41 | Guidelines Sounds For Nature Leitfaden | |||||||||||||
42 | An Inconvenient Truth | 2006 | First to measure and balance GHGs Torino Winter Olympics/Paralympics | Industry Assessment Programme Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas Programme | YOUROPE's Green & Clean self-assessment & webtool Has been replaced by newer programmes | Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas Programme | ||||||||
43 | First WC to include sustainability FIFA World Cup Germany Green Goal | Guidelines IOC Guide to Sport, Environment and Sustainable Development 2006 | ||||||||||||
44 | Burning Man Produces first MOOP Map (matter out of place) | |||||||||||||
45 | AR4 Climate Change Synthesis Report, IPCC | 2007 | Mean Fiddler/Festival Republic First full-time sustainability manager in UK music festivals | A Greener Festival, UK | Protect Our Winters | Industry Assessment Programme A Greener Festival | First Tools Sustainable Event Management Systems (SEMS) Tool (2007-2013, Sustainable Event Solutions, Australia) Sustainable Event Tool (2007-2019, Sustainable Events Ltd, UK) | A Greener Festival Awards 18th year in 2024 | Alameda County (USA) Stop Waste Events Guide | |||||
46 | Firefly Solar Temporary solar powers urban London events including RISE | Council for Responsible Sport, USA | First Standard BS8901: Event Sustainability Management Standard superseded by ISO 20121 in 2012 | |||||||||||
47 | Croissant Neuf Off-grid renewable energy festival & supplier | Julie’s Bicycle, UK | ||||||||||||
48 | Radiohead Commission touring Ecological Footprint and Carbon Report | Global Sustainable Tourism Council | Guidelines DEFRA Sustainable Event Guidelines | |||||||||||
49 | Coachella Energy Playground + Global Inheritance | |||||||||||||
50 | Live Earth Concert to amplify attention to climate change | |||||||||||||
51 | 2008 | AEG Begins sustainability journey | Green Broadway Alliance USA | Industry Assessment Programme Council for Responsible Sport | Event Footprinter Ecological Footprint Tool No Longer Active | First Report First Step: UK Music Industry Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Beyond Sport Awards 16th year in 2024 | Green Events and Innovations UK: 17th edition in 2025 | ||||||
52 | RhEINKULTUR Festival Germany, introduces holistic 'Green Rocks' | Wales Recycling at Events Guide | Clean n Green Award Yourope, renamed in 2011 | |||||||||||
53 | 2009 | Microsoft Convergence USA, First event to meet BS 8901 | Sustainable Event Alliance International, closes 2023 | One Planet Living Events WWF Framework | Book Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide 2nd edition 2014, 3rd 2017, 4th 2025 | Jam Packed Part 1: Audience Travel Emissions from Festivals | IOC Sport and Environment Award Final award 2013 | City of Manchester Greening Your Event Guide | ||||||
54 | COP 15 Copenhagen, Denmark, first COP to meet BS 8901 | Green Music Initiative Germany | Guidelines Environmental Handbook (English) Oya Festivalen, Norway | |||||||||||
55 | Guidelines Live Earth Green Event Guidelines | |||||||||||||
56 | Tool Creative Green GHG calculators | |||||||||||||
57 | Guidelines UNEP Green Meeting Guide 2009 | |||||||||||||
58 | Ellen MacArthur Foundation circular economy advocacy | 2010 | First to include Sustainability Vancouver Winter Olympics | British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS) UK | UNEP Music & Environment Initiative | Ecolabel Austrian Ecolabel for Green Meetings and Green Events | First Training in Sustainable Event Management GreenShoot Pacific, Australia | UNEP Music & Environment, Singing to a Greener Tune | Green Events Europe Germany, 2010-2014 | City of Richmond (Canada) Sustainable Event Toolkit | ||||
59 | ISO 26000 Social Responsibility | Glastonbury Festival Event site installs UK’s largest privately owned solar array | Society for Sustainable Events North Carolina, USA | Powerful Thinking | Standard CSA Z2010-10 Event Sustainability Standard | First Professional Accreditaiton Sustainable Event Alliance Accredited Professional Closes programme in 2018, SEA folds in 2023 | Fáilte (Ireland) A guide to running green meetings and events | |||||||
60 | FIFA WC South Africa Green Goal | Industry Programme Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol (CSMP) | EventIMPACTS (Sustainability Toolkit - UK) | Guidelines Sustainable Sport and Event Toolkit (SSET) | New Zealand Major Events Greening Guidelines | |||||||||
61 | Meetings Professional Internationa (MPI) Hosts first European forum on sustainability in MICE sector. | Book Event Management and Sustainability | ||||||||||||
62 | 2011 | Green Sports Alliance, USA | Industry Benchmarks Programme APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards (Changes to EIC standards in 2019) | Book Sustainability and Sport | Green Operations Award Europe | Green Sports Alliance Summit USA: 14th edition in 2025 | Gosford City Council (Australia) Sustainable Event Management Policy | |||||||
63 | Powerful Thinking, UK | Book The Complete Guide to Greener Meetings and Events | International GO Group workshop Europe:10th edition in 2024 | NSW Government (Australia) Developing a Council Community Events Policy: A Toolkit for NSW Councils | ||||||||||
64 | Green Operations Europe | |||||||||||||
65 | UN Rio+20 | 2012 | London 2012 Olympics | Right and Fair - Guiding principles and code Germany events industry | Standard ISO 20121:2012 Event Sustainability Management Systems | Book Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Meetings and Events Industry | Environmental Leadership Awards Green Sports Alliance | NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (Australia) Events Sustainability Action Plan | London Learning Legacy 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games learning legacy site | |||||
66 | Sustainable Development Goals Born at RIO+20, launched 2016 | Way Out West, Sweden Goes vegetarian | Reporting Protocol GRI Event Organizers Sector Supplement Updated to G4 in 2013, and GRI Standards in 2018, EOSS is no longer active, but still offers good insights | First University Subject First dedicated unit in sustainable event management, Canada | ICLEI Sustainable Events Guidelines (2024 edition) | |||||||||
67 | Guidelines UNEP Sustainable Events Guide | |||||||||||||
68 | Fashion Revolution | 2013 | Bonnaroo Festival Commences 3 year crowd funded permanent solar array project | Green Music Australia | Industry Assessment Programme Creative Green Ended 2020 | Guidelines Sounds For Nature Leitfaden Germany | ADE Green The Netherlands: 10th edition in 2024 | City of San Francisco (USA) Zero Waste Event Guidelines (current edition 2024) | ||||||
69 | GRI G4 Guidelines | Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index | Guidelines Green MICE Guidelines Taiwan, updated 2016 | British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS) Conference UK, next edition 2025 | ||||||||||
70 | AR5 Climate Change Synthesis Report, IPCC | 2014 | Olympics strengthen LGBTQ inclusion Amends Fundamental Principle 6 | Green Events Nederlands | Green Deal Waste Free Festivals The Netherlands, 2015-18 | Supplier Database Sustainable Event Managment Book | Hawkesbury City Council (Australia) Sustainable Events Management Guide | Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Sustainability Handbook (new ed 2024) | ||||||
71 | Warringhah Council (Australia) Events Sustainability Action Plan and Guide | |||||||||||||
72 | 2015 | World Expo Milan First to integrate sustainability (achieved ISO 20121) | Sports Environment Alliance Australia | Energy Revolution / Ecolibrium | Industry Assessment Programme Stoked For surf and snow events | YOUROPE's Green & Clean self-assessment & webtool Updated. Now replaced by other programmes | The Show Must Go On | UFI Sustainable Development Award 10th year in 2024 | Sustainable Events Summit UK: 9th edition in 2024 | Christchurch City Council (NZ) Events Sustainability Framework | ||||
73 | IOC Sustainabiity and Legacy Commission | Green Destinations Community | Vision 2025 | Book Events and Sustainability | Sustainable Innovation in Sport 2015, 2017, 2018 | City of Denver Sustainable Events Guide | ||||||||
74 | Paris Agreement | 2016 | Shambala Festival UK, goes meat and fish free | EIC Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact GMIC merged into EIC | Global Destination Sustainability Index | Guidelines Green MICE Guidelines Taiwan | UFI Report on Best Practices in Sustainability | |||||||
75 | Sustainable Development Goals launched | DGTL Netherlands, goes vegetarian | European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS) | Innofest Using events as a testlab, in cooperation with festival in The Netherlands | Guidelines Event Waste Minimisation (Beyond the Bin NZ) | |||||||||
76 | GRI Sustainability Standards | Guidelines, training Environmental Handbook for Sports Norway | ||||||||||||
77 | Clean Seas | 2017 | Volvo Ocean Race Ignites global attention on plastic pollution with Clean Seas: Turn the Tide on Plastic | Sports and Sustainability International | Take a Stand, Europe | Certification Carbon Neutral Standard for Events Australia | Guidelines Powerful Thinking Smart Energy Guide | Creative Green Awards Closes 2020 | City of Vancouver (Canada) Green Events Planning Guide | |||||
78 | Guidelines Green Sports Alliance Playbooks | |||||||||||||
79 | EventIMPACTS (V2 Measurement Toolkit - UK) | Book Routledge Handbook of Sport and the Environment | ||||||||||||
80 | World wakes up to ocean plastic pollution | 2018 | FIFA WC Russia First to have sustainability requirements | The Sustainable Events Forum Canada | UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action | Guidelines Single-Use Plastic at Sports Events | Playing For Our Planet | City of Melbourne (Australia) Sustainable Event Guidelines | ||||||
81 | Operation National Sword China bans plastic imports | European Commission Guidelines on organising sustainable meetings and events at the Commission | ||||||||||||
82 | Plastics Pact UK | The Ocean Race Science programme finds microplastic as most remote location on earth, Point Nemo | Green Sports Alliance Japan | Plastic Promise The Netherlands 2018-23 | Guidelines Making Waves Guide to Plastic Free Events | It Doesn't Stack Up - Disposables v Reusable Cups | Edinburgh (Scotland) Sustainability Toolkit for Venues | |||||||
83 | 127 out of 192 countries have action on plastic bags | Green Producers Club Norway | Recommendation of the Council on Global Events and Local Development | Truckee (Canada) Sustainable Event Toolkit | ||||||||||
84 | Moonee Valley Council (Australia) Sustainable Events Toolkit | |||||||||||||
85 | Directive on Single Use Plastics Europe | 2019 | Coldplay Announce taking a break from touring until a more sustainable solution can be found | Green Deal Circular Festivals Netherlands/Europe | Music Declares Emergency | Industry Benchmark Programme EIC Sustainable Event Standards, USA Replace the APEX/ASTM Standards | Guidelines Green Travel & Transport Guide for Events 4th edition in 2023 | Factsheet UK Events and Diesel Use | Events Scotland Sustainable and Accessible Events Guides | Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Sustainable Events Toolkit for Boating Events | ||||
86 | Sport Ecology Group USA | Live Green, UK | Guidelines Sustainability Guidelines for Business Events in Tokyo | Hume City Council (Australia) Sustainable Event Guidelines | ||||||||||
87 | Drastic on Plastic, UK | Training Institute for Sustainable Events | ||||||||||||
88 | Guidelines How the exhibition industry can contribute to the SDGs? | |||||||||||||
89 | Book The Routledge Handbook of Festivals Includes Sustainability content for first time | |||||||||||||
90 | Olympic Games Guide on Legacy | |||||||||||||
91 | UNFCCC Race to Zero | 2020 | Isla UK | GEX - Green Experience Europe | Industry Assessment Programme A Greener Arena | Report and Guidelines Sustainable Look, Overlay & Signage | The Show Must Go On | Sports Positive Summit UK: 5th edition in 2025 | City of Denver (USA) Sustainable Event Handbook | International Canoe Federation (ICF) Sustainability Event Toolkit | ||||
92 | Single-Use Plastic Bans begin in Australia | Survey Reusables at Events Global Survey | Signage Branding Environmental Report | City of Adelaide (Australia) Sustainable Events Guidelines | World Athletics Sustainability Strategy | |||||||||
93 | China strengthens national plastic pollution control | Wave of Solidarity | Industry Assessment Programme Athletics for a Better World Standard | Guidelines Reusables at Events Global Best Practice Guidelines | LCA Study of Waste Free Cup Systems at Dutch Events | |||||||||
94 | Guidelines Guidelines on Sustainable Event Organisation Germany | Waste Management in the Exhibition Industry | ||||||||||||
95 | International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) formed at COP26 | 2021 | Live Nation Green Nation Touring Programme | Sustainable Mountain Alliance | Music Climate Pact | Industry Benchmark Programme Responsible Sport Standard for Organisations, USA | Resources & Training Future Festival Tools | Disposables Discontinued | Play to Zero Awards Green Sports Alliance | City of Canning (Australia) Sustainable Event Guidelines | World Athletics Sustainable Event Management: Best Practices Guide | |||
96 | LOWLANDS Festival Netherlands, builds 90 000 solar panels as carports | Earth Percent | Guidelines Sustainable Sourcing Guidelines for Branding and Signage Materials | Study Super Low Carbon Live Music Massive Attack and Tyndall Centre, Manchester Uni pdf | ||||||||||
97 | UNEP Draft Resolution passed on an Internationally legal binding instrument on plastic pollution | Olympics 20+5 15 new SD recommendations adopted | Industry Benchmark Programme Green Sports Alliance Play to Zero USA | Guidelines Blue Events Guide | ||||||||||
98 | Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) agreed at COP15 | 2022 | Colplay becomes first stadium level artist to power an entire show exclusively on batteries | Net Zero Carbon Events | Event Impact Standards International Association of Event Hosts | Guide Plastic Footprint Methodology for Events | Slippery Slopes | IOC Climate Action Awards | Conference News (CN) Sustainability Summit | Serbia Guideline for Sustainable Events | ||||
99 | Climate Justice Hub | Guidelines and Best Practices Sustainable MICE – Guidelines for waste management Singapore | Sports for Nature: Setting a Baseline | BBC Green Sports Awards (UK) | Mexico Sustainability Toolkit for Festival Managers | |||||||||
100 | Single-Use Plastic Bans, Scotland | DGTL Netherlands, Goes Fully Plant Based | Future Fit Festivals | Guidelines and Best Practices Sustainable MICE – Guidelines for carbon emissions management Singapore | More Than Music | City of Monash (Australia) Sustainable Events Guide | ||||||||