[Week 12] Project Approval Form

It's been another busy one this week, but most efforts went into meetings and revisions to help shape my project approval form that outlines the core aspects of my research. I've copied it below, so I have a public record of my plans - and something to hold myself accountable to - at the end of my studies.

Summarise the research, aims and key objectives or questions

The aim of this research is to critically evaluate the development process and policy context for progressing environmental standards for music events in the Liverpool City Region (LCR). Not all local authorities in the UK currently include events in their Net Zero strategies, creating an inconsistent system of regionally generated principles and standards. This research looks to address this variance through establishing shared principles of best practice through rigorous testing and review by responding to the following research questions:

·      What challenges are experienced when evaluating decarbonisation frameworks in the live events ecosystem?

·      How do you implement and evaluate efficacy and efficiency of events ecosystem decarbonisation frameworks in LCR?

·      How can a new ecosystem be described that can be structured and scaled in other cities?

The project aims to explore the leading frameworks and methodologies used globally, examining how they may be expressed within a single regional economy, forming a foundational model that could be used for scaling and adoption nationally. The research also seeks to establish the effectiveness of these frameworks, as well as thresholds for impact and how evidence and experience can be used within the context of social constructivism to build an evidence-based methodology to influence policy and practice.

The outputs of this research are expected to be formed through a practice-based approach. It is anticipated that two distinct elements will be produced as a result of this work, taking the form of both an artefact produced within a co-creation context within the music ecosystem of LCR, and a narrative account of the social and technical challenges in structuring and testing implementation of such an artefact.

Explain how your project contributes to (or challenges) existing work in the field (i.e. the originality or significance of your project)

The need for this research is evident from the proclivity of market-based services established to serve the ambitions of the live events sector in achieving progressive environmental standards.

The absence of centralised government regulations has created a fragmented environmental standards landscape, where responsibility is devolved to voluntary, sector-led frameworks. This results in inconsistency across organisations, with small and community-led events often lacking the resources to engage meaningfully (Lansley, 2025). Without regulations a market-based economy of certifications, toolkits and consultancy services has emerged, offering support but also reproducing inequity through cost, complexity and competing claims of authority. Only recently have emissions standards setting frameworks been aligned. (Segal, 2025).

Without a shared definition of ‘best practice’, scalability and accountability remain demanding, limiting endeavours. Recent cross sector research in sustainable events has occurred at grassroots, local authorities level although some marquee and headline outputs are notable (MIT, 2025). Coupled with Liverpool’s emergence as a global leader in this field, this research is positioned to address the pressing issue that some recent marquee initiatives in the city will (ultimately) be unsuccessful without government intervention (Harkins, 2025)

Reports that inform this research include those published by The Tyndall Institute, including the ‘Super Low Carbon Live Roadmap’, “Act 1.5” and its addendum (Act 1.5 & A Greener Future, 2024). These reports detail significant shortcomings in a cross-sector approach to understanding application of local authority processes, barriers to implementation and the effectiveness of recommendations regarding CO2e reporting (Lansley, 2025). Grounding this research within the theoretical framework of policy translations recognises that climate policy instruments are often applied asymmetrically, where they are interpreted and adapted as they transition through institutional settings (Shoenefeld et al., 2022).

This research proposes an original model of practice as an artefact / system that works across LCR and can be replicated elsewhere.

Please provide a brief outline of your proposed plan of work

This research combines critical perspectives and practical approaches, evaluating their effectiveness as a unified, working model of sector-based resources that can be accessed by events stakeholders within existing practice contexts.

It will produce:

1. An artefact that resolves the challenges identified within the first two phases of research (outlined below)

2. A complementary framework that runs alongside and tests (1)

3. An evaluation of the effectiveness / impact of the artefact through improved understanding of both practice (1) and theoretical principles (2)

The proposed plan of work will respond to ongoing, dynamic environmental policy contexts and geo-political instability. This research can be broken down into four distinct phases:

Phase I: Literature review and sector audit (12 months, crossover potential with Phase II)

A comprehensive review of existing services and certifications e.g. A Greener Future, Future Yard, ALBERT, Music C-A-R-E-S, Julie’s Bicycle, GECoP, Greener Events, EU STEP, Act 1.5 and more; a hedonic regression model to analyse the value of these systems, through the critical lens of the transtheoretical model of behavioural change. (Prochaska & DiClemente)

Phase II: Network convening and work scoping; exploring integration with other MF areas of practice (12 months including crossover)

Convening key stakeholders; exploring integration with academic narratives, sector practice and civic frameworks within LCR e.g. the MusicFutures Sustainability Forum; LCC Sustainability Task & Finish group

Phase III: Co-design framing of sustainable ecosystem for LCR (covering service and supply chain: training, CO2 calculators, standards frameworks) with suppliers, event stakeholders etc (combined with Phase IV – 12 months)

This phase would require the evaluation of different environmental assessment models as the artefact is co-constructed for the purpose of community testing, bringing learnings and networks from the first two phases into a convergent practice pathway.

This practice-based approach would describe a new paradigm of cooperation within a model of shared environmental stewardship and accountability. It will evaluate different aspects of frameworks across the live events ecosystem in LCR, considering decision, activities and events-based perspectives. (MIT, 2025)

This approach will be grounded in the transtheoretical model of behavioural change, social cognitive theory, and the socio-ecological model. (Glanz, 2015) This will be contextualised with action research where interviews, surveys and narrative accounts will construct an understanding of the challenges of aligning best practice within a single civic infrastructure, and transference of learnings between local authorities.

Phase IV: Integration, testing of recommendations and write up of PhD thesis (combined with Phase III)

This would be an active phase of evaluation throughout study, detailing the development of the artefact from initial discussions to active testing. The artefact could take one of many forms, but the focus will be around synthesising a new mode of sustainable events management that is at once unique in use as it is universal in application.

A more detailed plan for Phases III / IV will be described as research progresses, to help deliver the original artefact this research project will produce, as well as a thesis contextualising project design, methodology and findings.