The O2 arena hits new sustainability high
The O2 arena in London has cut carbon emissions by more than a quarter since 2022. The venue achieved a 27% reduction per show and 26% per fan, earning its highest sustainability rating from assessor A Greener Future. The results reflect changes across energy, transport, food and waste, alongside industry experiments in carbon removal and green contracting.
For UK businesses managing large sites or hosting events, the figures illustrate what can be achieved through operational improvements. They also highlight the gap between site-level control and broader emissions tied to travel, supply chains and customer behaviour. Understanding that distinction matters for procurement, compliance and strategic planning.
The O2's approach combines established measures such as renewable electricity with newer interventions including carbon-removal pilots and standardised green requirements for touring productions. The venue reports detailed reductions across multiple categories, offering a clearer picture of where progress is possible and where constraints remain.
Renewable power and energy improvements drive operational cuts
The O2 has procured renewable electricity for its entire site since 2018. According to the venue, switching to clean power reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 6,000 metric tonnes. That decision represents one of the largest single interventions in the venue's sustainability programme.
More recently, energy-efficiency improvements delivered by the facilities team saved over 300,000 kilowatt-hours in 2023. These upgrades targeted lighting, heating, ventilation and equipment across the site. Combined with the renewable power agreement, the changes have reduced direct operational emissions substantially.
The venue also introduced electric vehicles for on-site operations. Transitioning away from diesel and petrol for internal transport cuts both emissions and air quality impacts. Plans for electric forklifts form part of the ongoing effort to eliminate fossil fuel use from all site vehicles.
Consequently, the O2 now operates with a significantly lower carbon footprint than it did in 2022. The 27% reduction per show reflects these cumulative changes. However, venue operations account for only a small proportion of total event emissions, a point clarified by data from The 1975's carbon-removal pilot in 2024.
Fan travel dominates the emissions profile of live events
During The 1975's performances in February 2024, fan travel accounted for 75.7% of total event emissions. Arena operations represented just 3.95%, driven mainly by electricity use and staff journeys. The figures reveal the scale of emissions beyond the venue's direct control.
This distribution is typical for live entertainment. Audiences travelling by car, train or plane produce the majority of greenhouse gases associated with concerts and shows. Venue-level improvements can reduce operational emissions significantly, but they cannot address the larger footprint created by thousands of individual journeys.
Improving public transport access, encouraging shared travel and scheduling events to minimise long-distance trips all influence total emissions. Nevertheless, these factors depend on infrastructure, geography and audience behaviour. Venues can provide information and incentives, but they cannot dictate travel choices.
As a result, even substantial reductions in site operations may produce only modest decreases in overall event emissions. Businesses hosting events or managing large public sites face similar challenges. Understanding the emissions profile helps prioritise actions and set realistic targets.
Food service emissions fall through menu changes and labelling
The O2 reported a 31.5% reduction in food service emissions since 2019. The venue achieved this through partnerships with catering provider Levy and climate-impact platform Klimato, which calculates and displays the carbon footprint of menu items. Customers can therefore make informed choices based on environmental impact.
Beef burgers were removed from arena menus as part of the strategy. The venue also hosted six Billie Eilish shows with an entirely vegan food offering, generating an estimated carbon saving of 14,000 kilograms across those events. These changes demonstrate how menu design influences emissions from catering operations.
Moreover, the approach shifts some responsibility to consumers while maintaining choice. Labelling allows people to select lower-impact options without removing higher-emission items entirely. This model balances commercial considerations with environmental goals.
For businesses managing catering or hospitality services, the O2's experience suggests that supplier partnerships and data transparency can deliver measurable reductions. Menu changes need not eliminate all high-impact items, but they can shift average consumption towards lower-emission choices.
Waste strategy expands with reusable cups and improved sorting
The venue introduced reusable cups across its operations and installed new waste-sorting facilities in public and backstage areas. In 2022, the O2 reported that less than 1% of its waste went to landfill. Existing infrastructure includes a waste compound, green cleaning programme, on-site wormery and aerobic biodigester.
Digital ticketing through AXS Mobile ID eliminated the need to print more than one million paper tickets annually. This change reduces both waste and the carbon footprint associated with printing and distributing physical tickets. The shift to digital also simplifies ticket management and reduces operational costs.
In addition, the venue became the first worldwide to trial vertical-axis wind turbines developed by British start-up Alpha 311. While the contribution of on-site generation remains modest compared to grid electricity, the trial demonstrates willingness to test emerging technologies.
Waste management improvements often deliver cost savings alongside environmental benefits. Reduced landfill fees, lower disposal volumes and increased recycling rates all contribute to operational efficiency. Businesses reviewing waste strategies may find similar opportunities.
Carbon removal pilot addresses residual emissions after reduction efforts
In February 2024, The O2 hosted four performances by The 1975 described as the world's first carbon-removed arena events. Working with carbon-removal company CUR8 and A Greener Future, the project used rock weathering and biochar to extract and durably store residual emissions associated with the shows.
The programme reported removal of 136.46 tonnes of carbon per show, totalling 545.9 tonnes across all four performances. Fans contributed through a 90p charge added to ticket prices, while the venue also invested in covering event emissions. The total was equivalent to the annual electricity use of 395 average homes.
Importantly, carbon removal does not eliminate the emissions themselves. It addresses residual greenhouse gases after reduction measures have been applied. The distinction matters because removal is typically more expensive than prevention. Reducing energy use, switching to clean power and cutting waste remain more cost-effective first steps.
Nevertheless, some emissions are difficult to eliminate entirely. Long-distance fan travel, freight transport and certain production activities may have no immediate low-carbon alternative. Carbon removal offers a way to balance these residual emissions, provided the removal is permanent and additional.
For businesses exploring carbon neutrality or net zero commitments, understanding the hierarchy of reduce first, then remove, helps allocate resources efficiently. Removal should complement reduction efforts, not replace them.
Green Rider sets standardised sustainability requirements for touring productions
In November 2023, The O2 launched the UK's first arena Green Rider. The document provides artists, promoters and touring productions with recommendations on reducing carbon emissions, selecting lower-impact materials and equipment, cutting waste and energy use, and monitoring event footprints.
This approach extends the venue's influence beyond its own operations. A concert's environmental impact is distributed across transport, catering, freight, temporary production equipment, artist requirements and audience behaviour. A standardised rider embeds sustainability expectations into contracting and planning processes rather than treating them as optional considerations.
By establishing clear guidance, the Green Rider helps touring productions adopt consistent practices across multiple venues. It also reduces the burden on individual artists and promoters to develop sustainability requirements from scratch. Standardisation makes it easier to compare performance and identify improvement opportunities.
For procurement and contract management, this model offers a practical way to incorporate environmental criteria without lengthy negotiations. Businesses tendering for public sector contracts under frameworks such as PPN 06/21 may find similar value in standardised sustainability clauses.
A Greener Future assessment awards Highly Commended rating
The O2 became the first arena in England to receive A Greener Future's Greener Arena certification in December 2022. The assessment considered environmental performance, staff wellbeing, and equality, diversity and inclusion. The venue received Outstanding ratings in the latter two areas.
In its latest assessment, A Greener Future awarded The O2 Highly Commended status, two tiers higher than its first rating. The upgrade reflects measurable improvements across energy, waste, food and operational emissions. The rating also recognises the venue's broader sustainability programme, operating under the Good Vibes All Round initiative launched in 2019.
Third-party certification provides independent verification of sustainability claims. For businesses seeking to demonstrate environmental performance to clients, investors or regulators, accredited assessments offer credible evidence. They also highlight areas for further improvement, helping prioritise future investments.
Furthermore, certification can strengthen bids for public sector contracts, where sustainability criteria increasingly influence procurement decisions. Demonstrating verified environmental performance may differentiate suppliers in competitive tender processes.
Key facts about The O2's sustainability performance
- Carbon emissions per show have fallen by 27% since 2022, with a 26% reduction per fan over the same period.
- The venue has procured renewable electricity for its entire site since 2018, reducing annual emissions by approximately 6,000 metric tonnes.
- Food service emissions decreased by 31.5% between 2019 and 2024 through menu changes, vegan event catering and climate-impact labelling.
- Energy efficiency improvements saved more than 300,000 kilowatt-hours in 2023, driven by upgrades to lighting, heating and equipment.
- Fan travel accounted for 75.7% of total emissions during The 1975's carbon-removed concerts, with arena operations representing just 3.95%.
- The O2 eliminated the need to print over one million paper tickets annually by introducing digital ticketing through AXS Mobile ID.
- The venue achieved Highly Commended status from A Greener Future in its latest assessment, two tiers higher than its first rating in 2022.
Translating venue improvements into broader business strategy
The O2's results show what large sites can achieve through systematic operational improvements. Renewable electricity, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and waste reduction all deliver measurable cuts to direct emissions. These measures are accessible to most businesses managing significant premises or hosting events.
However, the travel data clarifies the limits of site-level interventions. For events, hospitality or retail businesses, customer and supplier transport often dominates the carbon footprint. Addressing these emissions requires collaboration with transport providers, local authorities and supply chain partners. It also depends on infrastructure beyond any single organisation's control.
Consequently, businesses setting carbon reduction targets need to distinguish between operational emissions and value chain emissions. Scope 1 and 2 emissions, covering direct energy use and purchased electricity, are typically easier to reduce through efficiency and renewable power. Scope 3 emissions, including travel and supply chain impacts, require different strategies and longer timescales.
For firms preparing carbon reduction plans under PPN 06/21 or other procurement requirements, understanding this distinction helps set credible targets. Our net zero programme for carbon reporting compliance supports businesses in identifying emissions sources and developing realistic reduction strategies.
The O2's Green Rider also offers a model for embedding sustainability in contracting. By setting clear expectations for suppliers, touring productions and partners, the venue shifts responsibility across the value chain. Businesses can adopt similar approaches through procurement policies, supplier codes of conduct and contract clauses.
Carbon removal, as demonstrated in The 1975 pilot, addresses residual emissions after reduction efforts. It should not replace efficiency measures or renewable energy procurement. Removal technologies vary in permanence, cost and verification standards. Businesses considering carbon offsetting or removal should ensure interventions are additional, permanent and independently verified.
Finally, third-party certification provides credible evidence of environmental performance. Whether through A Greener Future, ISO 14001, Carbon Trust Standard or other schemes, independent assessment strengthens sustainability claims and supports tender applications. Training in environmental management and carbon reporting, available through the SBS Academy, helps teams develop the skills to pursue certification effectively.
Further information and official guidance
Businesses seeking detailed guidance on carbon reduction, energy efficiency and sustainability reporting can access resources from several authoritative sources.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes policy updates, funding schemes and technical guidance on emissions reduction and renewable energy. The department also oversees the UK's net zero strategy and carbon budgets.
For businesses subject to environmental compliance requirements, the Environment Agency provides guidance on emissions reporting, waste management and environmental permits. The agency regulates large energy users and industrial sites in England.
A Greener Future, the organisation that assessed The O2, offers certification and improvement programmes for venues and events across the UK. The Greener Arena standard assesses environmental performance, staff wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion.
Businesses managing supply chains and procurement can refer to guidance from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply on sustainable procurement practices. The institute provides resources on embedding environmental and social criteria in purchasing decisions.