Coldplay Wants To Cut Tour Emissions, Accused Of Greenwashing Instead

Coldplay says they are committed to making their tour as sustainable and low carbon-impact as possible. Now they’re facing backlash by partnering with Neste — a Finnish oil company that has ties to deforestation.

Some perceive that Neste's partnership with Coldplay is an effort to hide the company's controversies and false statements about sustainable energy.

The band explained in a statement that they aimed to reduce overall CO2 emissions by 50% compared with their 2017 tour through the partnership. They plan to do that by using renewable energy and making use of the alternatives available in the cities they're performing in. The band even used renewable waste made up of recycled cooking oils and byproducts to fuel their touring plane.

They had approached various electric car manufacturers to supply the batteries and expertise so they could power their shows with renewable energy as well.

Then they received criticism for their collaboration with BMW, which is an influential lobbyist in preventing the EU from reaching zero emissions by 2035.

This week, Coldplay reacted to the backlash and reiterated that they are still “trying their best,” but say the changeover is a work in progress.

TL;DR:

• Coldplay is committed to making their tour as sustainable and low carbon-impact as possible.
• Now they’re facing backlash by partnering with Neste — a Finnish oil company that has ties to deforestation.
• Coldplay says the changeover is a work in progress.