On Wednesday, 11 June, the co-working space theHUB hosted the launch of the UK-based climate initiative (founded by music legend Brian Eno) in Ibiza.
In attendance were around 50 people, including representatives of local eco-NGOs such as Aliança per l'Aigua and Lizard Shield, music industry figures and members of the public.
A registered charity in the UK and the U.S., EarthPercent launched in 2020 to mobilise music industry resources for climate action. Guided by a panel of scientists, activists, and policy experts, it urges artists, companies, and individuals to donate a percentage of their earnings to fund conservation efforts.
EarthPercent’s global reach is assured thanks to its network of artists, including Coldplay, Swedish House Mafia, The Cure, Moby, Jarvis Cocker, and Hot Chip, among others, who leverage their platforms to protect the planet.
Here on the islands, the NGO’s goal is to partner up with local organisations using contributions from the music industry and an expert committee that will allocate funds to high-impact environmental initiatives on Ibiza and Formentera. Apart from the local NGOs represented at the launch, many more local initiatives also stand to benefit.
After stressing EarthPercent’s explicit commitment to transparency & impact, Sophie Mac (Head of Operations, Fundraising & Partnerships, EarthPercent Ibiza) left us in no doubt as to the gravity of the situation here: "This island’s magic is at a tipping point."
She was followed by Peachy Keane (Events Lead, EarthPercent Ibiza), who added, "Our focus areas include nature preservation, climate justice, policy reform, equitable energy transition, and decarbonising the music sector."
Areas in which EarthPercent believes the music sector can benefit from its initiatives range from subsidising solar installations for smaller music venues to developing a carbon accounting framework specifically for island festivals.
The latter is a response to studies showing that a single major dance event can consume enough energy to power 300 homes for a month.
Paradise in peril
Any doubts about the urgency of the ecological predicament the island is facing were quickly dispelled when speakers connected Ibiza's cultural identity to its environmental vulnerability.
Christian Len, president of Ibiza's DJ association, noted the paradox facing the island: "Our nightlife economy depends on the very nature we're destroying with overdevelopment and resource extraction."
The data presented was alarming: since 2015, the island has lost 30% of its native pine forests to construction and climate stress, while beach erosion has accelerated by 15% in the past decade alone.
Other pressing ecological issues discussed were water supply and purification, restoring natural water filtration systems in the Ses Salines wetlands, and the devastating impact of invasive snake species on native lizards.
Marina Moheno de la Cruz of Aliança per l'Aigua (Alliance for Water) didn't mince her words when describing the current water crisis: "We narrowly avoided drought restrictions last summer, but the systems keeping Ibiza hydrated are hanging by a thread."
Her testimony was underscored by Sasha Kaman of Lizard Shield, who detailed how the accidental introduction of invasive snake species from the mainland around 20 years ago has triggered the near-extinction of Ibiza's endemic lizards while also allowing insect populations to surge unchecked.
The event closed with DJ sets by Christian Len, Jaime Fiorito and Camilo Miranda - EarthPercent Ibiza’s first collaborators, who will donate €5 from every ticket sold at their HOMIES parties at legendary San Antonio venue, Pikes.
Founding donors include theHUB. Ibiza and U.S. artist Shawn Pereira, who supported the project’s operational launch.
EarthPercent's Ibiza experiment may prove that what happens on Ibiza doesn't have to stay here. On the contrary, it could become a blueprint for the way music communities worldwide address climate and ecological concerns.
Artists and businesses interested in participating can enrol through EarthPercent.org/ibiza, where a real-time counter already tracks commitments exceeding €200,000 in projected annual donations.
The Ibiza-Spotlight team is excited to hear of this new venture and intends to keep its loyal readers updated as to future developments.
