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 funds our Sustainability measures via a sustainability ticketing surcharge led by climate impact agency FEAT. Live called the 'Solar Slice’ which is built into all Laneway Festival tickets, as our commitment to prioritising sustainability.
the journey
so far
Here are a few things we’re proud to have achieved in the past few years...
2025
Partnering with Reforest for another year, we empowered audiences to support climate and nature repair. Our incredible audience planted the equivalent of 350 trees, and we matched their generosity, together planting 700 trees, restoring over 6,600m² of habitat at Widgewah Sanctuary and aiding the recovery of the vulnerable Southern Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby.
In conjunction with Solar2Go, we tracked diesel-generated energy usage at three Australian events to inform our transition towards renewable energy, aiming to introduce clean energy alternatives wherever possible for our 2026 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. These projects reduce carbon emissions and provide broader social, community, and environmental benefits in Australia and abroad.
Furthering our commitment to biodiversity and community-led initiatives, 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. The event was free for all participating artists and funded through our Solar Slice.
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.
Incentivising low-emissions audience travel to our events. 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.
* Laneway Auckland was not included, the event was cancelled due to extreme weather in 2023.
We have replaced 53,220 single use plastic water bottles with canned water alternatives since 2023 by offering resealable, reusable and recyclable aluminium bottle water for sale and for use in our back of house operations at Laneway Festival. By encouraging our audiences to bring reusable water bottles and use of water refill stations, approximately 13,195 water bottles were saved at Laneway Adelaide alone in 2024.
how you can get involved
Here’s how you can help us to protect our environment and the future of Laneway Festival..
Eco-commute: Walk, cycle or take public transport to and from Laneway Festival. Public transport is included in your ticket for Laneway Perth.
Reuse and refill: Minimise waste and save money by bringing a reusable water bottle, and using the water refill stations on site.
Be waste wise: Follow the signs 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. Dispose of rubbish and recyclables properly, even when not near designated bins.
Add climate and nature repair to your ticket: Restore local Australian native forest to create habitat for wildlife with Reforest. When you purchase a ticket to Laneway Festival, you can also choose to plant a tree or restore 1 m2 of native forest at Hidden Vale Koala Habitat in South-East Queensland for a tangible, personalised impact on climate, nature and communities. The Hidden Vale Koala Habitat project restores degraded land into native forest to support koala populations. It improves biodiversity, captures carbon, and connects fragmented habitats using innovative drone planting and long-term conservation. Hidden Vale has an incredible biodiversity story, as well as removing CO₂ from the atmosphere and improving the land and water quality on the property. For more details on the project visit Reforest.
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.
The SDGs are one of the world's most ambitious initiatives and provide a blueprint for building a more peaceful and prosperous future for people and the planet. A to-do list for the world, the ‘Global Goals’ are a call to action for everyone, everywhere to promote prosperity that is inclusive, equitable and regenerative.
In partnership with FEAT. Live we have identified seven of the seventeen goals Laneway Festival will work to advance through a 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.
Energy & emissions: Reducing our carbon footprint by saving energy, switching to sustainable energy sources and encouraging low-carbon transport.
Livelihoods & local culture: Creating opportunities for artists, workers and local economies to thrive.
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.
Food & beverage: Minimising waste and food miles by reducing food waste and sourcing locally.
Climate resilience: Ensuring our festival is future-ready by promoting solar generation, and advocating for sustainable transport.
Nature & community: Partnering to grow our positive impacts by aligning with organisations that are adopting climate and environmental action.
our partners
FEAT.
FEAT. is an artist-led climate solutions agency that mobilises the cultural and financial power of the music industry to better our world. FEAT. funds carbon reduction measures via our sustainability ticketing surcharge the 'Solar Slice’ which is built into all Laneway Festival tickets, as our commitment to prioritising sustainability.
This investment is super critical for the industry solutions we need for long-term low-carbon live event operations. From tracking and reducing carbon footprints, powering backstage solar or hybrid energy setups, decarbonising transport and protecting and restoring local biodiversity hotspots and wildlife habitats.
Since partnering with FEAT. in 2023, the ‘Solar Slice’ has been instrumental, allowing Laneway Festival to implement a comprehensive program of sustainability initiatives across all Laneway Festival sites. This funding has been a critical puzzle piece and supercharged our efforts to prioritise clean power and industry decarbonisation, support First-Nations-led conservation and climate advocacy and campaigns.
Find out more about FEAT. at: https://www.feat.ltd/
Reforest
Since 2024, Laneway Festival has partnered with Reforest to support local reforestation projects on behalf of our Artists across 4 project locations in Australia and New Zealand. We also inspired our audience members to support habitat restoration by planting a tree or protecting a 1m2 of habitat. Together with audiences we have restored 8,370.1m2 of habitat which has resulted in 189 tonnes of CO2 removal. Learn more about each project and search Laneway Festival’s impact here.
NetNada
NetNada is the leading software for 100+ businesses measuring carbon emissions, supplier sustainability, and decarbonising their supply chain.
