A Greener Future (AGF) has shared insight into the sustainability actions, initiatives and highlights of festivals in 12 countries across Europe, Asia, North and South America.
AGF assessed 24 festivals from 12 different countries in 2025 including Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Estonia, the United States, India, and Colombia.
The cohort included events taking part in the AGF certification for the first time: Montreux Jazz Festival, Cordillera Festival in Colombia, Estonian Fashion Festival, and Ultra Miami.
Of the festivals assessed, around nine in 10 have a formal sustainable food & beverage policy (94 percent), use reusable cups (89 percent), or have banned single-use plastic serveware (85 percent).
The average recycling rate across all festivals assessed was 56 percent, with five festivals achieving a recycling rate of more than 70 percent.
Vegan and vegetarian dishes represented on average 53 percent of all food served. Nearly one in five (17 percent) of festivals were 100 percent vegetarian or vegan.
The shift to lower-carbon power supply is also notable with a quarter (25 percent) of festivals run entirely on mains electricity.
There is a growing use of zero-emission temporary power: 17 percent have some of their power supplied by on-site renewables or battery systems.
While more than seven out of 10 (71 percent) still used generators for some or all of their power, nearly half of them (47 percent) used 100 percent HVO instead of diesel.
AGF CEO Claire O’Neill said: "Festivals are a microcosm of wider societies, and a place where we can do things better.
"Seeing the continued move away from fossil fuels, plastic, and industrial animal agriculture is very encouraging to see.
"We hope to see more festivals around the world stepping up to the mark in this summer."
For details go to agreenerfuture.com.
AGF assessed 24 festivals from 12 different countries in 2025 including Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Estonia, the United States, India, and Colombia.
The cohort included events taking part in the AGF certification for the first time: Montreux Jazz Festival, Cordillera Festival in Colombia, Estonian Fashion Festival, and Ultra Miami.
Of the festivals assessed, around nine in 10 have a formal sustainable food & beverage policy (94 percent), use reusable cups (89 percent), or have banned single-use plastic serveware (85 percent).
The average recycling rate across all festivals assessed was 56 percent, with five festivals achieving a recycling rate of more than 70 percent.
Vegan and vegetarian dishes represented on average 53 percent of all food served. Nearly one in five (17 percent) of festivals were 100 percent vegetarian or vegan.
The shift to lower-carbon power supply is also notable with a quarter (25 percent) of festivals run entirely on mains electricity.
There is a growing use of zero-emission temporary power: 17 percent have some of their power supplied by on-site renewables or battery systems.
While more than seven out of 10 (71 percent) still used generators for some or all of their power, nearly half of them (47 percent) used 100 percent HVO instead of diesel.
AGF CEO Claire O’Neill said: "Festivals are a microcosm of wider societies, and a place where we can do things better.
"Seeing the continued move away from fossil fuels, plastic, and industrial animal agriculture is very encouraging to see.
"We hope to see more festivals around the world stepping up to the mark in this summer."
For details go to agreenerfuture.com.