sustainability
Sustainability is a core value at Laneway Festival - we believe in the vital role live music plays in bringing people together, while also safeguarding our planet. By actively working to reduce our ecological footprint, we aim to ensure that future generations can experience the joy of music in sustainability-focused settings. Through initiatives like reducing single-use plastics, and supporting local reforestation, we strive to inspire our community and become industry leaders in our pursuit toward a more sustainable future.
Laneway Festival has funded our sustainability measures through the ‘Solar Slice’ — a sustainability ticketing surcharge developed by climate impact agency FEAT. Live, and built into every Laneway ticket as our commitment to prioritising sustainability. Together, we established a rigorous sustainability framework: measuring our baseline impact, implementing a 3-year Sustainability Action Plan, and directing funds annually towards social justice, clean energy, and verified nature restoration projects.
After 3 years of partnership, Laneway is now proudly managing this work in-house. We have been empowered to carry this important work forward to grow the legacy of the Solar Slice and continue our commitment to making a positive difference for our audiences, community, and environment.
our goals
Laneway Festival will lead the way by taking action on climate, raising resilience and creating a new standard for sustainable live performance.
In September 2024 we committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of our festival's pledge to regenerate, decarbonise and drive positive social and environmental change.
We have identified seven of the seventeen goals Laneway Festival will work to advance through our Sustainability Action Plan.
These goals will guide Laneway’s efforts to decarbonise and implement sustainable practices across our festival and operations. Our efforts will focus on:
Water: Reducing our water use and protecting water sources by capturing, recycling and improving onsite sanitation.
Nature & community: Partnering to grow our positive impacts by aligning with organisations that are adopting climate and environmental action.
Energy & emissions: Reducing our carbon footprint by saving energy, switching to sustainable energy sources and encouraging low-carbon transport.
Climate resilience: Ensuring our festival is future-ready by promoting solar generation, and advocating for sustainable transport.
Livelihoods & local culture: Creating opportunities for artists, workers and local economies to thrive.
Food & beverage: Minimising waste and food miles by reducing food waste and sourcing locally.
Inclusion & wellbeing: Making people and communities feel safe, seen and valued.
Materials & waste: Eliminating single-use plastics and making more sustainable purchasing decisions, improving waste management.
how you can get involved
Here’s how you can help us to protect our environment and the future of Laneway Festival..
Add climate and nature repair to your ticket: When you purchase a ticket to Laneway Festival, you can also choose to plant a tree or restore 1m2 of native forest with Reforest for a tangible, personalised impact on climate, nature and communities. This year we will be supporting The Daintree Gateway Restoration Project in Australia and Patui Ancient Forest Restoration Project in New Zealand.
Eco-commute: Walk, cycle or take public transport to and from Laneway Festival.
Reuse and refill: Minimise waste and save money by bringing a soft reusable water bottle, and using the water refill stations on site.
Be waste wise: Follow signage at each event and use the appropriate bin system for proper waste disposal, help us divert organic and recyclable waste from landfill.
Leave no trace: Keep Laneway Festival sites clean by picking up after yourself.
TIMELINE & PROJECTS
2026
We teamed up with Chappell Roan and The Midwest Princess Project to support four local LGBTQ+ organisations across Australia and New Zealand:
Transcend Australia advocates for and supports trans, gender diverse and non-binary young people and their families to create fairer, kinder and affirming communities.
Transgender Victoria. Trans-led and community-driven, they advocate, connect and empower trans, gender diverse and non-binary people across VIC.
InsideOUT Kōaro is a national charity making Aotearoa safer and more inclusive for rainbow and takatāpui people. They empower communities through education, advocacy and support in their schools and communities.
Rainbow YOUTH empowers rainbow young people (13–27) across Aotearoa through peer support, advocacy, and safe, inclusive spaces.Their mission: a world where every LGBTQIA+, takatāpui and MVPFAFF+ young person can grow and thrive as their authentic self.
We continued our partnership with Reforest, together Laneway Festival and our audience have planted over 1,700 trees, restoring 1.2 hectares of habitat and removing 276 t CO2 since 2024. Learn more about each project by searching Laneway Festival’s impact here.
We proudly funded the Balya Productions Mentee Program to provide placements for six mentees at Laneway Festivals on Kombumerri Jagun, Kaurna, and Whadjuk Noongar country, building practical skills within the live music industry.
We calculated and also offset the CO2 emissions from our crew travel across flights, hotels and vehicle hires in partnership with TEM, supporting critical renewable energy projects
On the ground, we partnered with Project Planet to drive voter education on climate action.
We tracked generator & fuel use at 80% of Laneway events and utilised various renewable energy technologies such as solar generators from Solar2Go, and battery / BESS generators and biodiesel fuelled generators and lighting towers from Green Power Solutions, further helping drive to our goal of reducing emissions through efficiency and introducing more renewable energy alternatives in 2027.
We supported the work of the First Nations Clean Energy Network, Malala Fund, Support Act and the Yiriman Project.
We are proud to support A Forest of Goodwill, ensuring that the incredible Woodfordia is protected forever as a cultural parkland dedicated to music, the arts, humanities and folklore.
In the background we continued to work with One Stone Advisors to add to our suite of documented policy and action plans to help guide us & hold us to account.
2025
In conjunction with Solar2Go, we tracked diesel-generated energy usage at three Australian events. We also calculated and offset three times the CO2 emissions of our touring crew’s travel with TEM Online, supporting international climate projects Winds of Change and World Vision Clean Cookstoves.
We funded the Indigenous-led Lungtalanana Cultural Restoration Project as part of FEAT’s Arts x Conservation collective, supported First Nations Futures economic justice initiatives, and provided on-site opportunities for Balya Productions mentees.
On the ground, we powered 100% solar DJ booths in Brisbane and Melbourne with Wildlive, partnered with the Australian Conservation Foundation and Project Planet to drive voter education on climate action, and backed Hi Neighbour renewable energy scholarships through Solar Slice funding, supporting equitable energy transformation from the Coal Coast on Dharawal Country.
We also supported the global mission of the Malala Fund, and worked with One Stone to strengthen policies and plans that align our strategy, purpose, and operations for meaningful impact. As part of this work, we hosted our first Artist Impact Safari at Taronga Zoo in partnership with FEAT; a 1-day event designed to inspire and equip leading Australian artists and festival leaders to reduce the environmental impact of touring and music production, leveraging their musical legacy to drive positive change.
2024
We offset the carbon emissions from our touring personnel flights, through supporting Rainforest Rescue projects in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, Wind Farms in India, and by protecting 100m2 of critical habitat for biodiversity in SA and NSW Woodlands and Wetlands through TEM & Wilderlands. We reduced carbon emissions utilising Wildlive’s 100% solar and battery powered DJ Booth at Laneway Sydney, saving 4,620W of power.
At Laneway Perth, the diesel used in Lighting Towers was reduced by 100% from 2023, by utilising hybrid diesel-powered battery Lighting Towers which ran entirely on battery power.
Laneway Festival has ongoing public transport partnerships to provide no cost to audience public transport in Auckland and Perth and partnerships to provide strengthened services to incentivise low emissions audience travel in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne.
2023
Working with NetNada we calculated a robust carbon footprint for the entire Laneway Festival tour* in order to identify emissions hotspots, and levers for reduction. This carbon footprint data provides the baseline against which we aim to improve our practices and reduce our carbon footprint over time. Learn more here.
We replaced single use plastic water bottles with canned water alternatives by offering resealable, reusable and recyclable aluminium bottle water for sale and for use in our back of house operations at Laneway Festival.
Thank you for supporting Laneway as we continue to strive to inspire our community and become industry leaders in our pursuit toward a more sustainable future.
