Climate change is one the most complex and pressing issues that permeate all realms of human life – and Festivals are no exception to this. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), that took place in November 2021 in Glasgow, UK, showed that there is still a lot to be done towards achieving concrete results for de-accelerating climate change and reach the sustainable goals set by the Paris agreement.

Festival managers can and should work towards contributing for diminishing festivals’ lasting ecological impacts and minimizing climate change and damages to the environment. Furthermore, they can also be platforms for discussions and co-creation of sustainable solutions, as well as examples of practices that consider climate change issues. In this context, festivals can work towards being part of a sustainable systemic change that goes from the idealization of a festival to its post-production.

We trust that some of the ideas in this Toolkit and the experience of other festivals with regard to climate change and environmental practices will resonate with readers and will encourage and inspire them for future editions of their festivals.