Coldplay Concert in Jakarta Drives MICE Industry to be More Environmentally Friendly

Coldplay concert last November made us realize that Jakarta could host an eco-friendly concert.

Last November, Jakarta became a stop on the world tour of British band Coldplay. The concert world tour entitled "Music of the Spheres" is the biggest tour held by the band since its inception, with three continents and dozens of city stops. This time, the tour stopped at GBK Stadium on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.

Coldplay is one band that cares about environmental issues. Coldplay is actively voicing the importance of preventing climate crisis through mitigation. They are also donors to environmental organizations such as the Rainforest Foundation and Global Citizen.

Throughout the process, Coldplay applied three sustainable principles to produce concerts with the lowest possible carbon emissions. The three principles are based on guidance in the Oxford Principles for Net-Zero Aligned carbon offsetting, namely:

• Reduce: Immediately reduce waste consumption by recycling extensively to try to reduce CO2 emissions by 50%.
• Reinvent: Support environmentally friendly technologies and develop new touring methods that are also environmentally friendly and very low carbon.
• Restore: Proceeds from the concert will be donated to various nature-based projects and technologies to reduce CO2 emissions.

To avoid fossil fuels, the entire of Coldplay stage production uses technology with low-emission renewable energy, such as:

• The use of solar photovoltaic power behind and on stage.
• During travel and to power generators, Coldplay use a different type of diesel, HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) biofuel. This diesel is made from waste and residues such as used cooking oil which can reduce emissions by 75-95%.
• The solar power obtained on stage is used to power a recyclable battery. These batteries later serve as a power source during the show.
• Every Coldplay concert venue always has kinetic floors and kinetic bicycles. The movements made by the audience will be converted into electrical energy therefore it can actively charge the show battery.

The moment of the Coldplay concert that highlighted the commitment and efforts to be environmentally friendly must be a generator for the Indonesian Government to make a breakthrough therefore concerts or events held are increasingly environmentally friendly.

Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, also supported the British band's concert, which has the potential to increase world confidence that Jakarta is the best MICE destination in Asia.

"The organization of the concert is expected to not only have an impact on economic improvement and job creation but also the promotion of Indonesian tourism, especially Jakarta as a MICE (meeting, incentive, conference, exhibition) destination in Asia," said Menparekraf Sandiaga in 'The Weekly Brief with Sandi Uno' which took place on a hybrid basis, Monday (5/15/2023).

Sandiaga hopes that the success of the Coldplay concert and other events in Indonesia can strengthen Indonesia's tourism promotion, especially Jakarta as the best MICE destination in Asia because it has many international standard performance facilities. This concert is also expected to inspire MICE players and have a good impact on a more environmentally friendly MICE industry.