Pearl Jam Commits to $200 per Ton of CO2 for Carbon Offset Strategy

Pearl Jam is bigger than its culture-shifting legacy in the music realm. In 2003, the grunge pioneers began looking at how to track and mitigate their large touring carbon footprint and have since made investments of over $1 million dollars to offset this problem. In continuing their ongoing efforts, the group has now committed to paying $200 per ton of CO2 as its minimum continuing baseline for their Gigaton tour. Globally, the carbon offset market varies widely, with the average falling into $1-15 per ton.

“We are not going to move to a carbon-neutral economy without a massive shift in priorities and behavior. We need huge amounts of capital to innovate, invest, and problem solve to create brand new systems, and we need those investments to be smart and persistent,” rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard said.  “By committing to this aggressive pricing, we hope to amplify our efforts tenfold, highlight the most compelling avenues for carbon sequestration, mitigation, and reduction, and hopefully gather many partners who share our urgency to make the enormous efforts and innovations required to move our world to a carbon balanced and more conscious economy.”

Though big rock tours have significant impacts and will continue to do so until electric trucks and aviation become commonplace, Pearl Jam believes the most promising route to change is to continue to do business while investing capital in different strategies to reduce C02 emissions.

The band’s track record involves advocating for sustainable fuels, rainforest protection and photovoltaic technology, among other causes. Through public awareness, they are trying to inspire other businesses and individuals to respond to climate change.