The 1975 at the London O2: Will carbon-removed shows change gigs?

The band last played The O2 Arena in January this year

The 1975 are due to play at the O2 Arena next year, and the gigs are billed as the venue's first "carbon-removed" shows.

The four dates are part of Matty Healy and friends' sold-out run across Europe next February and March.

It's not the first time the four-piece have shown an interest in the climate - activist Greta Thunberg appeared on the opening track of their 2020 album Notes on a Conditional Form.

And organisers AEG Europe claim the pilot scheme at the O2 will be a world-first for a music event.

They say they've calculated how much carbon will be produced as a result of staging and catering each show and the band's travel.

And they've also factored in an estimate of the emissions created by fans travelling to the gigs, which research suggests is a big contributor.

The plan is to remove an equivalent amount from the atmosphere - AEG says that will equal 100 tonnes of carbon per show.

How will it work?

Carbon removal refers to taking carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere.

This can be done directly using technology, or influenced through natural systems such as forests.

Despite the label, the carbon won't actually be removed at the gig, but by a start-up company called CUR8.

They say they use six methods, including tree-planting and direct air capture, to take an equivalent amount out of the atmosphere.

Some people are critical of carbon removal, saying it provides a false sense of security and takes focus off reducing emissions in the first place.

But some scientific organisations, including one that provides advice to the United Nations, have said the technique might be helpful in industries such as agriculture and long-distance transportation, where it's tougher to bring down emissions.

AEG's sustainability boss Sam Booth admits "there is always more work to be done" but says The 1975 gigs are "a chance to start a conversation".

He tells Newsbeat the O2 is looking to reduce emissions created by "big ticket" items like heating and powering the venue.

It's currently run on renewable energy and has banned beef from its concession stands due to its high carbon footprint.

But in Sam's view that's only one part of the answer.

"I think we've got to the point now in the climate debate where we can't just do one of these things," he says.

"You can't just lower your carbon emissions, you have to start doing both."

Net zero?

You've probably heard the term net zero before - and while carbon removal sounds similar, AEG is keen to stress that it's not the same thing.

"Net zero involves reducing your carbon footprint by 90% and then removing the last 10%," says Sam.

"So we wouldn't call these that because these aren't a perfect net zero event - I think those don't really exist on a large scale yet."

Christopher Johnson, a sustainability consultant who advises the UK event, festival and music industries - thinks the O2 pilot is a good thing.

He tells Newsbeat that measures such as carbon removals are a "second step" after you've reduced emissions.

But he points out that the O2 has already been "quite pioneering" in its efforts to bring down the carbon from its events.

"It's quite a good example, really - and in a way, hats off to anyone that makes carbon emissions sexy or interesting."

And Christopher, who is also a founder of the Shambala festival, thinks choosing a high-profile act for the pilot gigs is key.

"The most important thing here might not be actually the act of the carbon removals," he says.

"What they're effectively doing is showing that carbon emissions are important, and making an interesting and credible story to inspire audiences and the industry."

Carbon removals v carbon offsets

Policy analyst Leo Mercer says AEG might have chosen to push carbon removals for "marketing" reasons, because they're less controversial than carbon offsets.

Carbon offsetting schemes try to balance emissions by finding other ways to reduce carbon in the atmosphere by an equivalent amount, but carbon offsetting doesn't necessarily mean the carbon is removed from the atmosphere.

Leo, from the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics, says "we have more confidence that those [carbon removal] processes will lead to durable carbon dioxide removals".

He says it's easier for the live music industry to employ carbon removal methods than others, such as heavy industry and agriculture.

But he says the O2 investing in carbon removal is a "positive" thing as businesses race to meet national and international emissions targets.

"The carbon removal industry is in its infancy at the moment," he says.

"So having organisations such as the O2 being public about their procurement is a positive thing."

Will carbon removal become more common at gigs?

AEG tells Newsbeat if the O2 pilot is viewed as a success it plans to introduce carbon removal at its venues and on its tours worldwide to "inspire the reduction of carbon emissions in the live entertainment industry".

That might mean an extra cost for fans, but a modest one. At the O2 shows 90p of the ticket price has gone towards the initiative.

CUR8 also says it's been talking to other bands about carbon removal.

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Whether it will catch on more widely at venues without the financial power of AEG remains to be seen, but consultant Christopher thinks it's an encouraging step.

"We need festivals, venues, artists to be innovative. And this is an example of innovation," he says.

"I think what we need to do is not lose focus on the immediate actions we need to take to reduce emissions.

"And I think that many festivals and venues might consider removals or offsets in the future - but I wouldn't want removals to distract from the immediate action that's needed."

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