To continue hosting the world, we must protect the planet

But pride must be matched with responsibility. As we welcome thousands of artists, producers and audiences from across the globe, we must also confront the environmental footprint this cultural powerhouse creates.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has cut its carbon footprint by over a quarter since 2017

Festivals are not immune to the climate emergency. The very things that make them magical; the travel, the lights, the build-outs, the temporary venues – also make them carbon intensive. I believe Edinburgh has an opportunity to lead the world in showing that world-class culture and climate responsibility can go hand in hand.

There is already important work being done. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has cut its carbon footprint by over a quarter since 2017. Electricity emissions alone are down nearly 60 per cent and they’ve slashed brochure printing by almost two thirds. Many venues now serve vegetarian options by default and source materials locally. These are real, commendable steps and I wonder if this is the result of the city influencing our visitors or if we are learning from their annual visits.

But we cannot ignore the challenges. Travel emissions remain high, with artists and audiences still largely reliant on flying. Freight, accommodation and infrastructure continue to leave a sizeable mark on the city and its environment. Some of Edinburgh’s green spaces, especially The Meadows, are still overused and vulnerable during peak festival activity. Our nature suffers from the overcrowding and hundreds of vans and lorries delivering equipment. If we want to continue hosting the world, we must protect the planet in the process.

That’s why we need bold ideas and decisive leadership from both local authorities and festival organisers. We should explore options like decentralised venues, better public transport access, reduced reliance on temporary diesel generators and stricter environmental standards as a condition for use of public land. We also need to secure the funding that will allow these changes to happen, not force festivals to choose between artistic quality and climate action. The Scottish economy relies on a successful Edinburgh Festival, therefore the Scottish Government should invest in making it sustainable for the city for generations to come.

Culture is powerful. It moves us, challenges us, brings us together. But it also shapes our values. If Edinburgh’s festivals can model sustainability with creativity and courage, they can inspire audiences from across the globe to take action too. Let Edinburgh be not only the world’s festival city, but also a city where climate justice is centre stage.

​Lorna Slater is co-leader of the Scottish Greens