The countdown to this year’s Global Citizen Festival in New York City has officially begun, and we’re buzzing to see the stage light up on Sept. 28. In just a few short days, thousands of action-takers will make their way to Central Park to watch an incredible lineup of artists, speakers, and commitment-makers take to the stage to call for the end of extreme poverty for everyone, everywhere. 

Year after year, we use our festival stages to propel a movement toward defeating poverty, defending the planet, and demanding equity, but it’s not lost on us how taxing festivals can be on the environment. 

Festivals require a great deal of resources — from refreshments for the festival team and audience members alike to the electricity and fuel it takes to coordinate the event and acquire extra resources for contingency plans so that everything operates smoothly. Global Citizen is committed to lowering our impact on the environment with each event we host.

In fact, we’ve been committed to incorporating sustainable practices into our events for several years, and just between 2019 and 2023 we cut our carbon emissions by one-third.

This year we’re set to have our most sustainable festival yet and cut our emissions even furtherbecause for the first time the festival will be run primarily by batteries, instead of noisy, polluting, diesel generators.  

Here are all the ways we’re taking action for sustainability at Global Citizen Festival 2024. 

Battery Power

For the first time, Global Citizen is switching away from diesel generators to a SmartGrid battery system to power the entire festival — all audio, lighting, video, and stage production. The Global Citizen Festival is one of the very first major U.S. festivals to make this switch, which will dramatically reduce carbon emissions that would otherwise pollute the planet.

This is the same system that fueled Coldplay's “Music of the Spheres” global tour, and we’re thrilled to be using it in Central Park this year thanks to Coldplay, Showpower Global B.V., CES Power, and Equitable Earth.

Fully Veggie

It’s no surprise that meat production and consumption takes a serious toll on the environment, so this year, the festival will be 100% vegetarian, with an increased range of vegan options also available.

Fill Up

Bring along your reusable plastic water bottle and stay hydrated throughout the day by visiting any water refill stations available around the festival site. 

Plastic-Free Concessions

Single-use plastic is not on the agenda — that’s why we’ll provide compostable packaging and utensils for all concessions. And all beverages sold on site will come in infinitely recyclable aluminum cans.

Minimizing Food Waste 

As food waste is responsible for up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions (which notoriously contribute to the climate crisis), the plan is to limit the amount of  waste  created at the festival. All eligible excess food will be given to local organizations to reduce this waste and help those in need.

Can Donation

All aluminum cans discarded at the festival will be donated, with the excess going to Sure We Can, a non-profit recycling center, community space, and sustainability hub in Brooklyn. 

Indigenous Trees

We’ve done this before, and we’re doing it again. For the fourth consecutive year, the festival stage will feature a diverse array of native tree saplings. Following the event, these trees will be given to the New York City Parks Department and Central Park Conservancy, where they will be distributed to local parks across the city for planting.

Repurposed Stage

Finally, yet another favorite thing of ours to do year-on-year. The festival’s set will be made from reused and repurposed materials from previous Global Citizen events — rerouting hundreds of pounds of materials that would have been turned to waste.

Crowd Engagement and Education

By now, you know that we’re all about educating each other toward achieving a better future, so at the event, you’ll spot volunteers who will be engaging participants in a sustainability quiz designed to educate them about the climate crisis and promote eco-friendly habits.

More than anything, our call for this festival is to defeat poverty, defend the planet, and demand equity. As usual, Global Citizen Festival collaborates with renowned artists, world leaders, and global advocates to seize the moment for real progress. Whether you’ll be joining us at Central Park, or catching the live stream from the comfort of your home, we encourage you to take action with us to push for a more sustainable and equitable future.