A year ago, Coldplay gave an update on their mission to reduce their tour emissions by half, saying their Music of the Spheres tour had vented 47 percent less carbon than their 2016/2017 tour. Though very close to their goal, the band weren't satisfied, saying there was "clearly still room for improvement."
Improve they did, as they are now reporting that they've dropped their emissions by 59 percent — a 12 percent increase from last year's check-in. They say these numbers have been confirmed by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.
"As a band, and as an industry, we're a long way from where we need to be on this," Coldplay shared in a statement posted to their socials. "But we're grateful for everyone's help so far, and we salute everyone who's making efforts to push things in the right direction."
In his own statement, Professor John E. Fernandez of MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative wrote, "This latest analysis of Coldplay's impact on the environment from touring is again setting a new standard for the entire music industry. The data and the methods of analysis support the conclusion that substantial progress has been made to reduce emissions in touring."
Some of Coldplay's methods to reduce emissions include running their shows with an electric battery system, reducing waste and plastic usage and planting a tree for each of the five million concert attendees. The band have also travelled using electric vehicles and alternative fuels wherever possible, and placed energy-generating mats and bikes that fans can use during their shows.
Suffice to say, those bespoke stage pylons likely didn't factor into their sustainability goals, especially since Chris Martin has said their eco-conscious efforts have saved the band money.