Researchers at the University of Manchester have looked at several of the UK's largest music festivals and calculated how much of the emissions come from transport to and from the festivals.

"According to estimates from the music industry, it could be as much as 80 percent of emissions," says Christopher Jones, one of the researchers behind the report "Car use, carbon and festivals".

Reduce the number of parking spaces

The study includes British festivals Leeds and Glastonbury, with 200,000 visitors, as examples. Many people get there by car – partly because the festivals are in the countryside.

The researchers believe that if only 20 percent of the parking spaces were removed, it would have had a major effect immediately – more visitors would have traveled by public transport.

For example, if Glastonbury were to remove half of its parking spaces, emissions could be reduced by more than 30 percent, according to the study.

"Reduces accessibility"

Several festivals are already working to charter buses from other locations and train stations so that people can easily get to the festival area without a car. Benefits for visitors who travel sustainably and incentives for carpooling are other carrots that the report points to as effective.

Sweden Rock Festival is one of Sweden's largest music festivals and it can be found, like Glastonbury, in the countryside. After reading the British report, CEO Jon Bergsjö believes that the festival staff has been inspired by giving more carrots.

But reducing the festival's more than 2,000 parking spaces in Norje is not an option.

"Reducing accessibility and the possibility of getting here is not our strategy. On the other hand, I think it is very important to push for the better alternatives available, and make it easier for the customer to find them, says Jon Bergsjö.

Hear him talk more about the festival's sustainability strategies in the clip above.