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The hidden impact of film and TV production.

The magic of film and TV is that it can take you away to another time and place. But while you’re lost in the onscreen world it’s easy to forget that show was made in our own, real world. It’s only when the credits roll that we stop and consider the impact that spectacle might have had.

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We all know that film and TV productions cost a small fortune to make, but the hidden cost to the environment can be just as heavy. Just one single hour of television production in the UK creates <a href="https://www.tvbeurope.com/production-post/albert-average-hour-of-tv-contributes-5-7t-co2e-per-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5.7 tonnes of CO2e</a>, while a big-budget Hollywood movie will produce around <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/sep/02/bfi-study-calls-on-film-industry-to-urgently-reduce-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2,840 tonnes</a> of CO2 during its production. 
Just creating one single soundstage can cause <a href="https://www.cbd.int/article/film-industry-and-sustainability#:~:text=Indirect%20effects%20of%20the%20film,according%20to%20research%20from%20UCLA." target="_blank" rel="noopener">4,000 hectares</a> of deforestation. That’s because the lightweight plywood used is often unsustainably taken from rainforests. Then you consider the emissions that come from flying cast and crew all around the world to scout locations and film scenes (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/sep/02/bfi-study-calls-on-film-industry-to-urgently-reduce-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around half</a> of a film’s emissions are related to transport), the energy consumed by the equipment and trailers left running all day (often run on diesel generators), and the food waste that inevitably comes from feeding the whole team all day during long shoots. 
Sometimes films even leave a scar on the natural land itself. The production of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) was reported to have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/05/mad-max-fury-road-namibia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left tire marks</a> all over an area of unblemished and fragile desert landscape in Namibia, while also harming rare cacti and lizard habitats. And the production crew for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) were accused of illegally <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/claims-pirates-of-the-caribbean-production-tipping-toxic-waste-into-gold-coast-creek/news-story/f779bab0fb9429cdcc55bb93e4212e9a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spilling chemical waste</a> into a Gold Coast creek in Australia.
And all this is before we get into the later stages of a film’s life-cycle. Streaming online video alone produced <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/sep/02/bfi-study-calls-on-film-industry-to-urgently-reduce-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">300m tonnes</a> of CO2 in 2018, which was around the national output of Spain that year.

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The screen industry plays an important role in broadening horizons, changing perspectives and opening up conversations in society. Plus, it brings countless joy into many lives. So the solution isn’t to halt production altogether. But the industry does need to find ways to create great content that people love to watch, in a way that doesn’t damage the real world.  
Things are moving in the right direction. In recent years we have seen a shift to more environmentally-conscious production. Some of Hollywood’s most influential production companies including Netflix, Disney and Sony Pictures, have established the <a href="https://www.greenproductionguide.com/who-we-are/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green Production Guide</a> to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and environmental impact.
Many film productions also currently employ eco-consultants to try and make sure things on set are as green as possible, for example by recycling production materials. The €2m <a href="https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/greenscreen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Green Screen initiative</a> also set out to provide advice on best practice in this space, though has stopped short of measuring the footprint of continental film production.
Here in the UK, since 2011 BAFTA has supported the film and television industry through <a href="https://wearealbert.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">albert</a>, the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability. Albert, which is owned by BAFTA, helps the industry to reduce the environmental impacts of production and create content that shares a vision of a sustainable future.

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albert-certification is a requirement for any production company working for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, UKTV, Sky, TG4 or Netflix. To get certified, the company must use albert’s tools and resources to calculate their footprint, and then take actions to reduce their emissions as far as possible. albert’s new Creative Offsets scheme takes things a step further by helping Film and TV productions offset any remaining emissions they can’t reduce.
We’re delighted to have been chosen as <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/case-study-bafta-albert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">albert’s official partner</a> to deliver their Creative Offsets scheme for two years, starting from 1 August 2022. To reach <a href="https://ecologi.com/business/zero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">net-zero</a> it’s crucial that the industry reduces as much of their greenhouse gas emissions as possible and then offsets the remainder. So this scheme is a vital part of albert’s overarching mission.
This is a big win for the industry, as albert supports over 12,000 TV and film productions both on and off the screen to be more sustainable. Productions that have already been offset include season six of ITV’s Love Island Aftersun, the Women’s Euros 2022, Changing Rooms, The Chase Celebrity Specials Series 12 and the ITV British Soap Awards 2022. Our partnership is expected to reduce around 100,000 tonnes of unavoidable carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) over two years. 
Interested in reading more about our partnership with albert? Read our case study <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/case-study-bafta-albert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
You can find out more about our carbon offsetting service <a href="http://ecologi.com/business/marketplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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Hopescrolling: The Good News timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

Impact Reports

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Ecologi Impact Report 2024

Each year, we publish our Impact Report to share the tangible difference our community has helped create. Our 2024 report not only highlights the progress of the projects the Ecologi community has supported over the past twelve months, it also includes, for the first time, our own greenhouse gas inventory and emissions management plan.
You can read the full report below, or stay with us here for a quick snapshot of the most impactful numbers and milestones from last year.

<h3>Read the full 2024 Impact Report</h3>
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<h2>87 million trees funded to date</h2>
In 2024, the Ecologi community funded 9.97 million trees through reforestation projects across 13 countries and 5 continents, bringing our all-time total to over 87 million trees.
We worked with 10 dedicated partners – including two recognised as UN World Restoration Flagships, Acción Andina and Trees for the Future &#8211; to restore degraded and threatened forests. These projects not only support climate resilience and biodiversity, but also positively contribute to over 47,800 livelihoods around the world.

<h2>19,500 m2 wildflower, wetlands and wildlife habitat funded for restoration in 2024</h2>
From the peatlands of the Isle of Skye to the slopes of Dumyat, our dedicated <a href="https://ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-wildflowers-wetlands-and-wildlife" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife</a> restoration project supported community-led efforts to revive native ecosystems and protect biodiversity. 
At the Uigshader Living Forest Project, once a commercial timber site, native trees planted with Ecologi funding are thriving with signs of natural regeneration and native species, such as the eared willow (Salix aurita) returning. 
Meanwhile, at Dumyat, the reintroduction of wildflowers and targeted restoration work has already made a visible impact. Rare species are returning, including the Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes) which was spotted close to the site after a century-long absence, and the Sticky Catchfly (Viscaria vulgaris), one of the UK’s rarest plants, now flourishing thanks to restoration efforts.
This work wouldn’t be possible without our project partner, the Future Forest Company, and the continued support of our community. Together, we can restore habitats, protect vulnerable species, and drive forward nature-based solutions that are critical in our fight against climate change.

<h2>548,200 tCO2e emissions avoidance funded in 2024</h2>
Last year, the Ecologi community prevented over 560,000 tonnes of carbon emissions through a diverse portfolio of high-impact projects.
This includes more than 179,000 tonnes through landfill gas capture initiatives &#8211; some of the first globally to receive the new CCP-Approved label from the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market.
Ecologi also funded over 330,000 tonnes of emissions avoidance through nature-based forest protection projects across Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia, helping safeguard tropical peatlands and biodiversity hotspots while preserving vital carbon stores. An additional 53,000 tonnes of emissions were avoided through community-based initiatives, including fuel-efficient cookstove projects in Uganda and Kenya. These efforts reduce deforestation and pollution and deliver meaningful health and social outcomes.

<h2>21,200 tCO2 carbon dioxide removal funded in 2024</h2>
Carbon removal remains one of the most emerging areas in the voluntary carbon market, with innovative technologies still scaling and costs remaining high. Despite these challenges, the Ecologi community funded over 21,000 tonnes of carbon removal in 2024, helping to accelerate progress in this vital area of climate action.
One such initiative is Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), a nature-based solution developed by our partner UNDO. This process involves spreading finely crushed silicate rock, such as basalt, onto agricultural land, where it reacts with CO₂ in the atmosphere and locks it away for centuries.
Since launching ERW projects in July 2024, our community has funded 105 tonnes of carbon removal through this method. With the potential to remove billions of tonnes of CO₂ annually, Enhanced Rock Weathering represents an exciting step forward in the race to scale durable, science-backed carbon removal.

<h2>Our Greenhouse Gas Inventory </h2>
As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, we’ve completed our greenhouse gas inventory for the past two years. In 2023, our total emissions were 1,993.37 tCO₂e, and 1,584.65 tCO₂e in 2024 
Whilst not common practice in our industry, we’ve chosen to include the emissions from our impact projects &#8211; both those that generate carbon credits, and those that don&#8217;t into our Scope 3 reporting, despite the challenges in quantifying them accurately. These projects play a central role in our business, and we believe in taking responsibility to try our best to estimate these emissions, rather than omitting them entirely. By using a spend-based methodology, we are taking a transparent step towards capturing the full impact of our operations, even if the current approach has its limitations, particularly around the use of financial proxies. 
Within our reporting, this remains our biggest area of uncertainty and will be a key area of focus moving forwards, with a primary objective to transition to the activity-based methodology whereby primary data can be applied. 
This inventory forms the foundation of our emissions management plan, helping us track progress and identify areas for continued reduction across our operations. To learn more about our approach to preparing our inventory and how we plan to focus on the betterment of data collection in the future, to reduce our reliance on assumptions and proxies, click the link below.

<h2>Read more stats and stories in our full Impact Report</h2>
This blog offers just a snapshot of what we’ve accomplished over the past 12 months. To explore the full picture, including detailed insights, impact data, and stories from the projects we’ve supported, dive into the full Impact Report which you can view <a href="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20250422095731/Ecologi_Impact_Report_2024_-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

<h2>Ready to take the lead in climate action?</h2>
Fill in the form below to book a 30 minute discovery call with our climate experts and find out more about working with Ecologi to measure your emissions, set reduction goals and fund high-quality climate action.

Schedule a 30-minute discovery call

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Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

In a landmark move set to reshape corporate climate action, we’re excited to announce that Ecologi, the UK&#8217;s most trusted climate action platform, has acquired <a href="https://netzeronow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero Now</a>, the sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction platform for businesses.
The combined entity operating under the Ecologi brand will create a single solution for industry climate leadership towards net zero. The integration combines sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction with world class verified climate projects that supports businesses wherever they are on their net zero journey.

<h2>The game-changing impact of this acquisition</h2>
The strategic acquisition solves two fundamental challenges in corporate climate action: businesses have been forced to choose between fragmented solutions and generic ‘one size fits all’ approaches that ignore crucial sector-specific needs. By combining Net Zero Now&#8217;s sector-specific protocol expertise with Ecologi&#8217;s platform funding top-tier climate projects, we&#8217;re creating a tailored and complete solution helping businesses lead their industries towards net zero.

Reduce emissions.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Measure Scope 1, 2 &amp; 3 emissions with sector-specific industry GHG protocols</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set short term and long term reduction target emissions aligned to SBTi</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tailored reduction plans for sector-specific emissions pathways</li>
</ul>
Restore our planet.
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<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Compensate for unavoidable emissions as you reduce them through 
funding verified, high-quality carbon avoidance and removal credits</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Contribute to global climate goals by funding climate Impact Funds for 
beyond value chain mitigation and/or as part of your products &amp; services</li>
</ul>
Report on progress.
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<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Corporate sustainability standards e.g. CSRD, SECR, SBTi, CDP, B Corp</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sector specific standards e.g. Accountancy, Hospitality, Public Sector</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Custom climate impact reports and embeddable dashboards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communications toolkit for board and stakeholder engagement</li>
</ul>

Climate leadership starts here

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Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Net Zero Now, said:
<blockquote>Businesses want to take climate action, but they want to know they’re doing it right and what’s right for a restaurant business is not the same as what’s right for an accounting firm.  They need industry-specific guidance and clear pathways to climate leadership. By joining forces with Ecologi, we&#8217;re creating a platform that allows us to provide credible, simple and affordable, sector-specific, end-to-end climate solutions for businesses in our existing sectors and collaborate with industry partners on new sector-led solutions.</blockquote>

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The acquisition aligns with Ecologi&#8217;s mission to accelerate business climate action and grow our 24,000 strong customer base. Established sector protocols including hospitality and professional services will be the initial focus with plans to expand across additional industries throughout 2025.
With organisations under increasingly complex stakeholder and industry compliance demands for environmental accountability, this end-to-end solution also ensures streamlined reporting, monitoring progress, supply chain transparency, and voluntary disclosures. This transforms business leaders into climate leaders with the confidence to tackle their climate commitments head-on, communicating and meeting critical regulatory requirements like SECR, CSRD and SBTi.

<h2>More about Net Zero Now</h2>
Founded in 2021, Net Zero Now has developed a proprietary sector-led approach, which combines climate expertise alongside the sector knowledge and experience of relevant industry bodies, industry influencers and larger businesses to reach a consensus around what Net Zero means in practice for businesses in each sector. To date, the company has measured and validated 1.8 MtCO2e lifetime emissions supporting more than 50+ leading brands including Coca Cola Europacific Partners, L&#8217;Orèal, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Subway, Hard Rock Cafe, Adnams, Edgbaston and James Cowper Kreston.

The hidden impact of film and TV production.

The impact behind the magic

Working towards cleaner production

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Hopescrolling: The Good News timeline

Impact Report 2024: A year of impact for our planet

Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

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