Words by Smiley Team
A new environmental charity is aiming to raise $100 million from the music industry by 2030.
EarthPercent was set up by British musician Brian Eno, who is well known for his innovative work in ambient and experimental music. Its aims are twofold: to make the music industry itself less carbon intensive, and to raise enough money to support existing initiatives which are really making a difference.
Artists, music companies and industry figures are being asked to commit a small percentage of their income to the EarthPercent fund. The money will then be used to support various projects and causes tackling climate change, with specialist knowledge.
"EarthPercent seeks to hold the planet as a stakeholder, following Earth Day on April 22," says Brian. "EarthPercent’s stellar advisory panel makes the process easy for the music industry to donate to environmental organisations, safe in the knowledge the money will be reaching only those projects with demonstrable and meaningful impact.”
Founding donors include Coldplay, Fraser T Smith, Merck Mercuriadis and more.
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The organisation notes that “currently, less than 2% of global philanthropic funding is dedicated to addressing climate change, not nearly enough to meet the scale of the global challenge".
“Our mission is to give direct and meaningful support to those at the forefront of climate justice while reducing our impact on the planet - as an industry and as part of a global society," it states.
“Our future depends on us having a healthy planet. But our actions are severely damaging the environment. We need to act now to keep our planet and communities clean, healthy and thriving for generations to come."
In 2019, thousands of DJs took more than 51,000 flights, meaning the music industry has contributed significantly to the climate crisis.
EarthPercent is seen as merely an extension of the way the industry already works, because it’s normal for income streams to be tapped in different ways. It’s a system that is already being used, as money is divided up in various ways, for example with multiple people involved in the production of a record.
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Brian believes the funding model could be similarly applicable to the art and film world, too. As a trustee of Client Earth, an environmental charity using the law to create powerful change that protects life on our planet, he has been working to amplify the role of the music industry in tackling the climate emergency.
And he’s not alone - EarthPercent is part of a growing movement to tackle the industry’s carbon footprint, with more and more festivals pledging to be green, and fostering a more sustainable approach to event planning.
You can find out more about EarthPercent here.
