Concerts of high-profile superstars like Bruno Mars in Jakarta are drawing thousands of fans from inside and outside the country. — Agencies
INDONESIA’S music scene is booming, with high-profile concerts like Bruno Mars’ recent shows in Jakarta drawing thousands of fans from inside and outside the country.
These large-scale events are not only cultural milestones but also economic catalysts, generating substantial revenue for local businesses. However, they come with a significant environmental cost that is often overlooked.
High-profile concerts, especially those featuring international superstars, contribute heavily to carbon emissions. One of the most notable sources is the use of private jets. Studies show that private jet emissions can be up to 40 times higher than those of commercial flights per passenger, exacerbating the carbon footprint associated with global tours.
Taylor Swift, a global pop icon with a massive fan base around the world, including in Indonesia, exemplifies how celebrity air travel can intensify environmental concerns. In early 2024, she flew her private jet 8,046km from Tokyo to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII, fuelling a worldwide conversation about the environmental impacts of private jets. Her plane was one of 882 private jets that landed in Las Vegas for the event, contributing to significant carbon emissions.
In the first seven months of 2022, Swift’s private jet emissions totalled 8,293 tonnes, more than 3,300 times the estimated average of Indonesians’ annual emissions of 2.5 tonnes. This stark contrast highlights the outsized impact of celebrity travel on the environment.
The environmental impact of global concerts extends beyond celebrity travel. Swift’s concert in Singapore earlier this year also saw fans travelling from neighbouring countries, including Indonesia.
During an event on June 24 to launch a digitalised event licensing service to expedite the process, then-president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said in his speech that nearly half of the 360,000 attendees at Swift’s Singapore concert were likely to be Indonesian, further amplifying the environmental impact of large-scale fan travel.
To counterbalance the environmental damage caused by air travel, many individuals and companies purchase carbon credits. One carbon credit allows the holder to offset 1 tonne of CO2 emissions by funding environmental initiatives, such as reforestation or renewable energy projects.
The aviation industry, which is responsible for 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, is increasingly turning to carbon credits to mitigate its environmental footprint.
The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for Inter-national Aviation requires airlines to offset emissions growth beyond 2020 levels.
Swift’s team, for instance, claimed to have purchased double the credits necessary to offset their emissions, aiming to achieve “carbon negativity”. However, the effectiveness of voluntary carbon offsets is under intense scrutiny.
Investigations have revealed that many carbon credits, especially in voluntary schemes, might not represent actual reductions in emissions. In 2023, The Guardian newspaper reported that over 90% of rainforest credits certified by nonprofit Verra, a major carbon credit registry that manages a major carbon market standard, were likely “phantom credits”.
This heightened scrutiny has had a significant impact on the voluntary carbon market. Recent data reveals a dramatic downturn in the global market. In 2023, the market experienced a 61% contraction, with the value of traded carbon credits plummeting from US$1.9bil in 2022 to just US$723mil (from RM8.4bil to RM3.23bil). This sharp decline reflects the growing scepticism about the efficacy of carbon credits and underscores the challenges facing the voluntary carbon market.
These issues raise serious concerns about the reliability of voluntary offsets and highlight the importance of transparency and verifiable quality in the carbon credit market. If carbon credits are purchased with full disclosure of their sources and quality, consumers and critics can monitor them more effectively.
Increased transparency will likely elevate the standard of voluntary carbon credits and ensure they contribute meaningfully to environmental goals. For globally recognised figures like Swift, who have highly demanding schedules, avoiding private jets may not always be feasible. If it is difficult for them to avoid using private jets, they could consider providing information about the types of carbon credits they purchase, allowing for greater transparency.
As more attention is paid to the quality of these credits, such openness could drive improvements in the carbon credit market over time. While carbon offsets are one method of mitigating emissions, airlines are also exploring innovative ways to reduce their environmental impact.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made from renewable sources like waste oils, is becoming a key focus. SAF has the potential to reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel, and Indonesia has taken steps in this direction.
In 2023, Garuda Indonesia conducted its first commercial flight using SAF, and other airlines, including Singapore Airlines, are also incorporating SAF into their operations. Moreover, airlines are optimising flight paths, improving air traffic management and investing in next-generation aircraft to further reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing are researching electric and hydrogen-powered planes, technologies that could significantly lower the carbon footprint of air travel. These efforts show the industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions in the future.
As concerts and other cultural events continue to grow in scale, their environmental implications must be addressed. Airlines are making significant strides in decarbonising air travel, and while carbon offsets remain a tool for mitigating emissions, they need to be transparent and of high quality.
For celebrities like Swift, disclosing the types of carbon credits purchased could drive greater accountability and improvements in the carbon credit market. Ultimately, balancing cultural events with environmental sustainability is essential to ensure that the enjoyment of such events does not come at the expense of our planet’s future.
As Indonesia’s music scene continues to thrive, it presents an opportunity for the country to take a lead in developing sustainable practices for large-scale events, potentially setting a standard for the rest of Southeast Asia and beyond. —The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network
Shin Sa-Pyung Sean is a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore’s Business School.
