A Greener Future (AGF) has been honoured with the prestigious Music & Climate Action Award at the Music Cities Awards 2026, recognizing its pioneering efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the global live music industry. The award celebrates organizations and initiatives that use music as a powerful force for positive social, cultural, environmental, and economic change.
The recognition highlights AGF’s two decades of leadership in sustainability and environmental innovation within the live events sector. As the creator of the world’s first sustainability certification program for festivals, AGF has played a transformative role in helping festivals, venues, tours, and event organizers implement practical solutions that reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental performance.
Recognizing Leadership in Sustainable Live Events
The Music & Climate Action Award acknowledges AGF’s long-standing commitment to making live music and events more environmentally responsible. Over the years, the organization has worked with more than 1,000 festivals, concert tours, venues, and cultural events worldwide, helping them measure, manage, and reduce their environmental footprint.
Through independent sustainability certification, carbon footprint analysis, environmental assessments, and net-zero strategies, AGF has provided the tools and expertise needed to drive measurable change across the industry. Its work has encouraged event organizers to place sustainability at the heart of planning and production processes, creating a lasting impact on the global live music sector.
The award further recognizes AGF’s role in inspiring industry-wide adoption of environmentally responsible practices and helping establish sustainability as a key priority for event organizers around the world.
Global Recognition at Music Cities Awards 2026
The Music Cities Awards celebrate projects and initiatives that demonstrate how music can contribute to community development, education, tourism, sustainability, nightlife, innovation, and policymaking. This year’s winners represented a diverse range of organizations and programs from multiple continents, showcasing the broad impact music can have on societies and economies worldwide.
AGF’s victory in the Music & Climate Action category reflects the growing importance of environmental responsibility within the music and events industries. As climate concerns continue to influence business and cultural sectors globally, organizations like AGF are helping shape a more sustainable future for live entertainment.
AGF Leadership Reacts to Award Win
Accepting the award on behalf of the organization was Dr. Teresa Moore, Director of A Greener Future. Speaking after receiving the honor, she expressed gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the importance of collaboration in achieving meaningful environmental progress.
“We are hugely honoured to receive this award for Music and Climate Action from Music Cities. It means so much to be recognised by the industry for our work with events and music cities to create real impact,” said Dr. Moore.
Her comments underline AGF’s ongoing mission to support event organizers and municipalities in developing sustainable solutions that reduce environmental impacts while maintaining vibrant cultural experiences.
Collaboration Key to a Sustainable Future
AGF CEO and Founder Claire O’Neill also welcomed the recognition, emphasizing the significance of partnerships between cities, cultural institutions, and event organizers in accelerating sustainability goals.
“We’re really honoured to receive this award because firstly the other nominees were world class, and secondly, we believe that collaboration between cities and cultural events, from festivals to football, is the way forward for an enjoyable and speedy transition to a greener economy and better quality of life,” O’Neill said.
Her remarks highlight the growing consensus that environmental challenges require collective action across industries and communities. By bringing together local governments, event organizers, artists, venues, and audiences, sustainable practices can be implemented more effectively and on a larger scale.
Awards Ceremony Celebrates Music’s Global Impact
The Music Cities Awards 2026 ceremony took place at the historic Hull Minster on 11 June as part of the annual Music Cities Convention held in Hull, England. The event brought together leaders from the music, culture, tourism, and events sectors to celebrate projects that are using music to create positive change around the world.
The evening began with a performance by a combined 100-person choir and brass ensemble featuring musicians from the City of Hull Band. Attendees were treated to a vibrant program of entertainment that showcased the city’s cultural talent while celebrating achievements across nine award categories.
Hosted by Hull cultural figure and World Living Statue Champion Andy Train, the ceremony was designed to be more than a traditional awards event. Live performances from Bongo’s Bingo and a closing performance by the Hull Minster Choir added a unique and engaging atmosphere throughout the evening.
Driving Sustainability Across the Global Music Industry
As environmental concerns continue to reshape industries worldwide, the role of organizations such as A Greener Future is becoming increasingly important. The live events sector faces growing pressure to reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency, and adopt sustainable operating practices.
AGF’s work demonstrates how practical sustainability measures can be successfully integrated into festivals, concerts, and major events without compromising audience experiences. By providing expert guidance and measurable solutions, the organization has helped establish new standards for environmental responsibility across the industry.
The Music & Climate Action Award not only recognizes AGF’s achievements to date but also highlights the growing momentum behind sustainability initiatives within the global music and events community. As more organizers embrace climate-conscious strategies, the industry is moving closer to creating a greener and more resilient future for live entertainment.
