British band Coldplay says they are pausing touring over their concerns about the environmental impact of concerts.
Lead singer Chris Martin told BBC that the band - who are releasing their new album Everyday Life this week - will take the next year or two to work out how the tour can be both sustainable and 'actively beneficial'.
He said flying will be the most difficult issue to address, but that their dream is to have a show with no single use plastic and that is largely solar powered.
He told BBC: "We've done a lot of big tours at this point. How do we turn it around so it's no so much taking as giving?
"How can we harness the resources that our tour creates and make it have a positive impact?
"Everyone will catch up if you prove that it's easy to do it the right way."
Mr Martin said the band would be 'disappointed' if their next major tour isn't carbon neutral.
Instead of a traditional concert launch tour, Coldplay are playing two concerts in Jordan which will be broadcast free on YouTube tomorrow (coinciding with the local sunrise and sunset).
Coldplay's last 'Head Full of Dreams' world tour was in 2016/17, with the band playing venues in North / South America, Europe, Asia and Australia / New Zealand.
Reacting to the band's announcement, Technological University Dublin's Professor Gordon Chambers - who researches the impact of plastics on the environment - said these issues need to be addressed globally.
He noted: "I'm sure Coldplay and Chris Martin are very eco-friendly in their own lifestyle.
"[But] we need policies and real legislation that will help the situation, and that's up to the politicians."
