Comedy programmes top TV’s carbon footprint output

Television programmes may still be emitting 7.7 tonnes of CO2 per hour – a slight increase on 2012 – but the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) says it is encouraged by the overall momentum of the sustainability movement within the industry. For example, 130 UK production companies now use Albert, the free tool developed by BAFTA to measure the carbon impact of production.

BAFTA has just published a report by its sustainability consortium – made up of All3Media, BBC, Channel 4, Endemol, ITV, Kudos, Sky and Twofour – which gives a detailed update on the progress being made.
Last year it recorded the impact of production related to 2700 hours of TV (200% more than 2012) and compiled data from 35 companies (up 20 from last year).

With over 570 production footprints collected in 2013 and 250 in 2012, BAFTA maintains it has assembled what it believes to be the world’s largest database of TV production carbon footprints.

The data collated reveals the carbon footprint of progammes by genre. Top of the bill comes Comedy programmes which emit just under 20 tonnes of CO2 per hour of on screen TV with production, travel and location accounting for most emissions. Comedy is followed by drama (just under 15 tonnes per hour), children’s TV, factual and current affairs. Entertainment shows have the lowest footprint.

In order to allow production companies and individuals to engage more effectively with their footprints BAFTA’s consortium aims to redevelop Albert, the carbon calculator. Remaining as a free tool, redevelopment will allow users to view the outcome of the footprint in a more meaningful and stimulating way, it says, and also to find out more about others who have taken action on similar footprints in the past.

BAFTA has also begun to develop a sustainability training course for those who support or work directly in production.