In partnership with climate company CHOOOSE, international artist Matoma announced that his upcoming US-tour will make him the first artist ever to reduce the unavoidable emissions related to touring using carbon drawdown.
"I think everyone asks "but what can I do?" CHOOOSE answered that question for me. With their help I'm so proud to have used my platform for not just awareness but also action, and am excited about collaborating with them in new ways to keep making positive change in the coming years," says Tom Lagergren, aka Matoma.
In 2018, Matoma became the world's first musician to launch a climate positive music tour in collaboration with climate-tech company CHOOOSE and the UNFCCC. The tour even achieved United Nations certification as an official signatory of UN's 'Climate Neutral Now' program.
For his upcoming US-tour, Matoma repeats the success by launching a new climate positive music tour. In addition to implementing measures to reduce carbon emissions on a local scale, this will be the first music tour where unavoidable emissions will be compensated by removing carbon from the atmosphere through innovative drawdown solutions selected by CHOOOSE.
"The goal and process remains the same - to calculate the footprint of our tour activities, to explore every possible way to minimize that footprint, and then pay back the planet for the unavoidable footprint that remains. Working with CHOOOSE through each of those steps, we asked - 'what more can we do differently this year?' We're thrilled to be actually removing the remaining carbon through CHOOOSE, and continuing to find new ways and technologies to solve this global problem." says Tom Lagergren, aka Matoma.
The unavoidable emissions will be overcompensated and offset through closely selected carbon capture and storage projects in Finland verified by DNV GL.
The emissions from his tour will reduce twice as much as the initial footprint with a total of 20 tons of CO2, making the tour climate positive.
Matoma does it again. It's fantastic that Matoma teams up with CHOOOSE for his tour, and even better knowing that the contribution supports a carbon capture and storage project helping to reverse climate change. That Matoma is using his platform to achieve meaningful change and lead the way in the music industry is a great example of how combining culture and climate action makes a difference," says CHOOOSE CEO and founder Andreas Slettvoll.
Matoma has also implemented a Green Touring Checklist. The checklist is to help reduce the actual emissions while touring by implementing environmental initiatives such as encouraging crew to eat vegetarian meals, use of public transport, booking sustainable hotels near the venue to reduce transport, ensure recyclables and smart use of electricity.
Additionally, Matoma will address his personal footprint, by reducing more CO2 than the environmental footprint he leaves behind for the upcoming year through CHOOOSE.
"Since I started making music and putting on shows, all I ever wanted to do is spread the love and for people to come out and just have a great, positive time. Now making my concerts climate positive through carbon drawdown is a powerful way of taking this mission to the next level and raising awareness on an important issue", says Matoma.
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