This subject teaches looks at the issues and potential impacts of event transport requirements including moving people, goods, materials, equipment, infrastructure and waste.

The transport of the audience, crew and equipment to any event is generally the largest environmental impact due to greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use in the vehicles used to transport them.

Transport is however a necessary part of the current model of modern living and economic growth.

Our ultimate goal should be a model where transport has a minimum or even zero impact on the environment. A truly sustainable transport system.

Tranport at events is required for:

• Materials/supplies/equipment/infrastructure
• Crew, staff, talent, volunteers
• Attendees (audience, spectators, delegates)
• Stallholders, exhibitors, contractors
• Water, solid waste, liquid waste
• Business travel

Potential sustainability issues relating to event transport include:

• Localised congestion/noise
• Localised pollution
• Use of fossil fuels
• Creation of GHG emissions

Event transport goals should be to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from event attendee travel
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from event production travel and transport
• Reduce localised congestion caused by event activities

Event Transport Issues

Largest GHG Contributor
You will need to do complete audit to understand relevance of impact, but very often it will be the largest. Likely candidates include:

• Conferences where delegates fly into the event
• Events where majority of people travel by car
• Tourism events where people travel long distances to attend

Necessary for most events:
Very difficult to put an event on which does not require any travel.

• Walking and Cycling only
• Food grown onsite (or no food sold, only brought by attendees)
• All entertainment ‘in-house’
• Permanent infrastructure
• Waste managed onsite

Influences:

• The cost of fuel and pressures of climate change impact are helping to realise freight efficiencies.
• Convenience rather than cost influences audience travel decisions and strategies are needed to dampen enthusiasm for driving.

Destination Events:
Some events are tourism activities with a major goal to bring visitors to the destination. These events will see a significant proportion of total GHG gas emissions attributable to attendee travel.

Remote Location/Small Towns:
Freighting to events is required where services, goods and equipment are necessary to event production but not available locally.