A framework for assessing climate costs and economic benefits of major entertainment events

Abstract We develop a framework for assessing, and achieving, sustainable events from a climate change perspective using welfare economics and the principle of shared responsibility. We apply this framework to two case-studies as illustrative examples: an ex-ante analysis of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and an ex-post analysis of the 2024 Coldplay European tour. Our estimates suggest that the consumer welfare gains from both events far exceed the associated emissions costs, although the World Cup may not be viable under some higher carbon cost estimates. In the absence of adequate carbon pricing, we propose that the principle of shared responsibility be applied to reduce emissions. For indirect emissions, which are the source of most emissions, in particular spectator travel, producers should take on much greater responsibility, including using ticket rebates and better event location choice. Producer efforts at reducing indirect emissions can be large (almost half in the case of Coldplay).