What Does the Latest Report from the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance Reveal?
The film and television industry is undergoing a quiet but essential transformation: its ecological transition. Long exempt from the environmental radar, film sets are now being scrutinized for their carbon footprint. Why? Because the entertainment industry, in addition to its cultural and narrative role, mobilizes considerable resources every day—energy, travel, materials, food—often within an intense and fleeting logistical framework.
A key moment for the entertainment industry
The audiovisual industry faces an escalating imperative to address climate concerns, influenced by heightened audience awareness and increasingly stringent regulatory frameworks.
In this context, the publication of the report Carbon Emissions of Film & Television Production (2020–2022) by the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance (SEA) marks a major milestone. Based on an analysis of 385 productions worldwide, this report provides a clear and quantified overview: What are the main sources of emissions? What types of formats are the most polluting? What progress has been made... or not?
But the report goes further: it reminds us that before reducing, we must measure. Without reliable data, transformation is a challenge. Measure to transform: this is the new imperative for sustainable entertainment. It’s a core belief at Earth Angel—and one we translate into concrete action on the ground every day.
What the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance report reveals
In analyzing 385 productions made between 2020 and 2022, the new Sustainable Entertainment Alliance (SEA) report highlights some of the glaring problems that have been ignored for too long—and are sometimes surprising.
Figures that raise questions
The carbon footprint of a production varies greatly depending on its format:
A tentpole production (big budget blockbuster) emits on average 2,996 tonnes of CO₂e — An average of 42.4 tonnes of CO₂e per day of filming.
An episode of one-hour television drama reached 105.4 tonnes, against 48.4 tonnes for a 30-minute single-camera series, and 23.9 tonnes for a multi-camera studio production.
Unsurprisingly, direct emissions (scope 1) dominate the ranking, followed by electricity (scope 2) and indirect positions such as transport or accommodation (scope 3).
Fuel: Still King
The report confirms what we already know to be true: fuel remains the main lever of emissions, representing between 34% and 66% emissions, depending on the type of production. Between diesel generators, thermal vehicles, and lack of connection to the electricity grid... Old habits die hard.
Other significant contributors:
Utilities (heating, electricity, air conditioning)
Air travel
Staff accommodation, which has risen sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 effect, a paradoxical accelerator
The period studied (2020–2022) is atypical: COVID-19 disrupted the status quo. To ensure the safety of teams, productions have increased the number of work areas, used more vehicles, installed additional equipment, etc. The result: a mechanical increase in emissions, despite sometimes reduced international travel.
“Productions were greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in this benchmarking period, with additional health and safety protocols affecting production emissions.”
Promising but insufficient progress
Fortunately, the report goes beyond findings. It also highlights efforts being made to decarbonize the industry. For example, it notes:
The growing adoption of LED lighting on the plateaus
The use of electric vehicles on set
The occasional use of alternative fuels (HVO, renewable diesel)
And in some areas, connections to the electricity grid via“grid tie-ins”
But there are still many obstacles: lack of infrastructure, limited budget, lack of awareness of alternatives, etc. And above all, a still timid standardization of measurement and reporting tools.
Earth Angel x TheGreenShot: field and technological action
Given the scale of the issues revealed by the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance report, one conviction is clear: acting on a large scale requires an alliance between field and technology. This is precisely the meaning of the merger between Earth Angel and TheGreenShot.
Our common mission? Supporting productions in their ecological transition, by combining human expertise and digital tools, so that each production decision also becomes an environmental decision.
Every day, our teams work on set to transform intentions into concrete actions:
⚡ Decarbonization of basecamps: Optimized or removed generators, grid tie-ins and mobile battery units.
🚛 Transport optimization: Promote electric or hybrid vehicles, carpooling, and better logistics planning.
🔌 Reduction of electricity consumption: Adoption of LED lighting and low-energy equipment.
♻️ Fine management of waste and materials: Zero waste kits, redistribution of decorations and local reuse circuits.
Result: sorting rates exceeding 80%, significant savings on fuel, and above all, our aware and committed team of experts.
To act truly effectively, it is necessary to measure accurately, in real time. This is where TheGreenShot makes the difference. Our SaaS platform helps you to:
Reduce the time spent collecting carbon data by 80%
Automatically scan invoices and documents in 4 seconds to convert them into usable data
Obtain instant, customizable reports for operational monitoring, regulatory obligations and CSR communications
Less time spent chasing information, more time for optimize filming, engage teams and lead the transition.
To learn more, see our 2024 impact report.
In short
The latest Sustainable Entertainment Alliance report reminds us of a fundamental truth: we cannot reduce what we do not measure. Thanks to accurate, comparable and shared data, our industry can finally understand the full extent of its impact - and, above all, the levers we can activate to reduce it.
At Earth Angel x TheGreenShot, this is exactly what we're aiming for. We believe that sustainable filmmaking should no longer be the exception, but the norm. And to achieve this, we need reliable tools, committed expertise... and a collective desire to change the way we produce, consume, and tell stories.
We are proud of the results achieved in 2024, but we know that this is only the beginning. The challenge is systemic, global, and urgent. It calls for broad mobilization: producers, crews, studios, talent, broadcasters, and even audiences. Everyone has a role to play.
Ready to engage your production in a structured, effective sustainability approach?
Contact our experts for a personalized assessment and discover how to transform environmental challenges into lasting competitive advantages.
