A new group of artists and music companies has been launched to highlight the climate emergency and work collectively towards a greener industry.

Music Declares Emergency is inspired by movements such as Extinction Rebellion, Culture Declares Emergency and the environmental charity Julie’s Bicycle, but is separate to them. The group was established because of concerns ‘at the lack of a cohesive, [music] industry-wide response to the climate emergency’.

Over seven hundred artists, music companies and organisations, plus almost three hundred individuals, have already signed up to the group’s aim of a carbon neutral music scene. Artists are encouraged to take steps such as having a ‘Green Rider’ and greening their merchandise. Festivals, promoters and labels are asked to nominate someone responsible for greening their activity and put in place an environmental policy and action plan, including ditching plastic and cutting waste.

Companies and organisations that have already signed up include Abbey Road Studios, Cambridge Folk Festival, EFG London Jazz Festival, Virgin EMI, Warner Music UK, Universal Music UK, Kings Place, English Folk Dance and Song Society, Rough Trade Records, Sidmouth Folk Festival and Galway Jazz Festival. Artists include Peggy Seeger, Radiohead, Christy Moore, Ezra Furman, Imogen Heap, Nitin Sawhney, This is the Kit, Karine Polwart, Kathryn Tickell and Neil Hannon. See the full list here.

Music Declares Emergency has an eight-person working group including Nigel Adams (Full Time Hobby), Chiara Badiali (Julie’s Bicycle), Tom Hardy (musician), Lewis Jamieson (Loudhailer Press), Sam Lee (musician), Fay Milton (musician), Peter Quicke (Ninja Tune), and Maddy Read Clarke (Famous Times Studios). They group are currently planning the next actions and will announce them shortly.

For more on Music Declares Emergency, and to sign up, visit www.musicdeclares.net.