ESFUF
The EFAD Sustainability Working Group was initiated in February 2020 with the objective to exchange best practices and information on sustainable initiatives launched by national film funds and other partners from the public and private sectors.
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It is chaired by Tim Wagendorp, sustainability coordinator at the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF). |
Its objectives are:
- Driving the shift towards reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the screen industries of each of the EFAD members;
- Exchanging about best practices on sustainability, collecting and updating them regularly, in close cooperation European organisations (Cine-Regio, EFARN);
- Collaborating on shared toolkits and frameworks to increase sustainable practice and offer useful resources to members and broader industry;
- Focusing on interventions to increase sustainability throughout the life cycle/value chain of film, from script & development through to exhibition, online distribution and audience engagement, and linking to education and research;
- Preparing common recommendations to the EU institutions and other relevant organisations.
EFAD members initiatives
Country/organis° |
Summary |
Useful links |
| Austria |
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Green Filming - Austrian Film Institute |
| Belgium (Dutch speaking) | VAF is one of the frontrunners in the field of sustainable production: sustainable actions are a formal requirement within our support for creation. The customized coaching has measurable effects. Clever choices in the field of transport, energy, catering, waste and material and pre- and postproduction can also result in financial benefits. In 2018 VAF sustainability approach was widened, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) of the United Nations as a moral compass, aiming to translate them into specific and inspiring actions for the broad media sector. They guide and inspire throughout the entire media chain: from school, script, production to screening. VAF strengthens its sustainable knowledge, tools and expertise and strives towards a more uniform approach on the EU level. By exchanging knowledge they aim to implement sustainable measures throughout the entire audiovisual chain, working with cinemas and festivals, writers, producers, academic researchers, etc. |
here |
| Belgium (French Speaking) | Starting from the 2nd session of 2024, film and series projects in the Federation Wallonia-Brussels must include a mandatory sustainability sheet. Aiming to promote eco-responsibility among cinema and audiovisual professionals, the sheet, required for all stages of assistance, outlines the project's sustainable development strategy. The Cinema and Audiovisual Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation has also launched a Sustainability Bonus initiative as part of the Minister of Media and Culture's Sustainability Plan, aimed to incentivize more sustainable and environmentally friendly film productions. | here |
| Denmark |
The big national TV broadcaster TV2 has chosen to certify some of the biggest studio productions it is doing. As of now only the show “Vild med dans” (Dancing with the stars) has been fully certified, the first live production in Europe to do so, but the other productions are using the GREEN FILM principles and three other big productions are in the process of achieving the certification. It is taking some time to get the certification implemented in a Danish context but this news shows we are beginning to be on track. Starting in autumn 2024, the Danish Film Institute will mandate all film productions to complete a sustainability plan based on the Green Film handbook. This initiative aims to reduce the industry's CO2 footprint by encouraging sustainable production practices. The Film School will also offer courses in green film production. |
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| Finland | From early 2022, five production companies have tested the UK-developed Albert toolkit in Finland to reduce the emissions of their selected productions. The system is free at the point of use for productions and will now be available for all Finland professionals. The use of Albert is part of the Foundation’s sustainability strategy, aiming to develop the film and TV industry's social, cultural, economic, and ecological sustainability. | here |
| France |
The CNC launched the “Plan Action !” on June 2021, in order to set up a public policy for an energy and ecological transition in the cinema, audiovisual and moving image sectors. This plan aims at encouraging, defining, as well as imposing new obligations on the professionals of these sectors, within a span of 3 years (2022-2024). More specifically, in 2022, the CNC established an Observatory for ecological transition, which studies the green practices and energy impact of the sectors concerned (the first study on the energy impact of cinemas was published in June 2022). Since October 2022, a training programme on ecological challenges and responsible production is offered to university students. From March 31, 2023, producers of cinematographic works (feature films and shorts) and audiovisual works (series and one-offs) in the fiction and documentary genres have to provide a carbon footprint for their works when applying for support. The aim is to accompany professionals towards a more responsible transformation of the film and audiovisual sectors, and to make them aware of the environmental impact of their activities, to help them reduce it and to make the eco-responsibility of French productions an issue of international attractiveness. |
here & here |
| Germany |
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| Hungary | The Hungarian Film Institute produced a short online publication with green recommendations for those who want to be more environmentally conscious in their film production. This was the first step towards a more sustainable Hungarian film industry. | here |
| Iceland | The Icelandic Film Centre has launched a one-year pilot project to assess carbon emissions during film production, aligning with Iceland's Film Policy 2020-2030 goals for sustainability. Partnering with the Green Producers Club, they'll utilize the Green Producers Tool (GPT) to analyze emissions, aiming to understand and reduce the carbon footprint of filmmaking in Iceland. | here |
| Ireland |
Screen Ireland has published a new Sustainability Plan outlining the agency’s ambitions to help work towards lowering the carbon footprint of Ireland’s screen industry. The new Plan sets out a series of actions and measures that Screen Ireland will take working in partnership with industry stakeholders over the next five years. Key sustainability commitments presented in the plan are: funding an in-depth assessment of the environmental impact of Ireland’s screen industry; Decarbonising Screen Ireland’s operations to become net-zero carbon by 2025; Mandatory use of a Carbon Calculator as a minimum requirement on all Screen Ireland funded productions; Developing a pilot programme to review energy consumption on productions; Providing a financial incentive pilot programme valued at up to 25K€ per production. Screen Ireland has launched a programme of consultation, support and practical guidance to enhance and accelerate the implementation of sustainability measures across the Irish screen industry. The project is called Future Ready Film, managed by Climate Innovation, with the support of Screen Ireland. It is designed to engage with key stakeholders across the live action film and television industry to understand the current barriers and opportunities related to sustainable production |
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| Netherlands |
The Netherlands Film Fund offers various forms of financing and support to make film productions more sustainable and to encourage the sector to take more steps. In addition, the Fund organises training courses and inspiration sessions, where best practices of sustainably shot feature film productions are shared and specific topics are discussed. The Netherlands Film Fund also partnered with the VAF (Belgium - Dutch Speaking) to organise a training weekend for professionals interested in promoting sustainability within the film sector. This training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to support sustainability efforts in film productions. During the first Sustainable Film Production training weekend, 15 diverse professionals from Flanders and the Netherlands were trained to become eco-managers. |
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| UK | The BFI has launched its ten-year strategy, Screen Culture 2033. This includes a National Lottery Strategy for the funding schemes it runs. Underpinning this strategy are three principles, one of which is Environmental Sustainability, including the following pledge: We will take the ecological impact of activity into all our funding decisions, and work with partners to improve it over the next 10 years. We will seek to support approaches that result in overall benefit to the environment, rather than merely seeking to reduce harm. […] Over the next 10 years, we will use our funding plans to scale requirements around environmental sustainability. We will also work with partners to develop effective support for awardees to engage with this strategic principle. The BFI’s funded feature films are required to complete BAFTA albert certification, which includes achieving carbon neutrality. All fiction short films are required to complete carbon foot printing via BAFTA albert. For documentaries, the BFI collaborated with Doc Society on their Green Filming Protocol. Research reports published to map current practice (Green Matters) and propose a sustainable studio production model (Screen New Deal). A Screen New Deal transformation pilot has been launched in Wales, focused on data collection to identify film and HETV-related services which already exist in the area, highlight service gaps and create a location-based transformation plan to decarbonize TV and film production. The BFI continues to programme work in its cinemas and platforms about the climate and ecological crisis, including Green Light: An Immersive Focus on Climate Change in 2021. |
Carbon calculators
| Name & Description | Description |
| European common carbon emissions calculator | The project has been entrusted to a consortium, with the leader Seriotec, a German company specialised in cloud-based applications such as the production hub Yamdu, alongside KlimAktiv, expert on systems for calculating the carbon footprint, and green film expert Philip Gassmann. The project will run from January 2024 until December 2027 (48 months) and has an estimated budget of €650.000 from the MEDIA strand of Creative Europe programme |
| Eureca | Eureca is a pilot project emerging from the European project Green Screen, financed by the European Regional Development Fund. Online instrument that will measure the carbon footprint of AV productions including resources to raise producers’ awareness of the impact of their activities on the environment and assist them with planning including top-end scientific conversion factors for CO2 which will facilitate sustainable filming across Europe and provide a monitoring and reporting tool which will enable the film funds to consolidate results at a regional level. |
| Albert | |
| Carbon clap | Carbon'Clap is the carbon calculator for the film and TV industry developed by Ecoprod. |
| Green Shot | |
| KlimAktiv-Greenshooting-CO₂-Calculator | |
| Secoya |
European Projects & Initiatives
| Name & Description | Description |
| Green Screen (Interreg funded project) | Green Screen’s mission is to inspire and educate the nomadic world of filming by creating sustainable working practices. By reducing the environmental impact of filming essentials such as transport, construction, lighting and catering we aspire to lead European film & TV production into a greener way of life. |
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Green Film is a tool designed to promote environmental sustainability for audiovisual productions and to guide producers in working in an environmentally sustainable manner, a label that certifies environmental sustainability for audiovisual productions, and a network of partners working together to implement strategies and tools for sustainable film production and to coordinate joint sustainability-related training activities. |
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Green Filming page with green protocols and best practices developed and adopted by film commissions |
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A Facebook group representing a virtual meeting place for people working on the intersection between sustainability and audiovisual industry. |
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A platform for sustainability in the media industry presenting approaches to sustainable operating methods – in Europe as well as all over the world. It is also a forum for ambitious and creative professionals in the media to share their experiences, information, ideas, and new approaches. |
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Guide created by the Lower Austrian Film Commission for the sector. |
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Eurimages Board of Management established a Sustainability Study Group in March 2021 to develop a strategy and action plan to help the Fund meet these challenges while continuing to support quality projects of international reach. Deliverables:
Part of the strategy is the creation of an e-learning platform. Eurimages partnered with Ecoprod to launch the platform focused on sustainable film production to enhance vocational skills for film professionals across its member states, targeting international co-productions of various film genres. This platform aims to enhance the skills of film professionals across Eurimages member countries and beyond, with a focus on international co-productions. It will offer modular training courses catering to various professional levels and will facilitate the exchange of best practices. |
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A free access platform that gathers practical guidance and shares sustainability practices and tools implemented across Europe for Film and Audiovisual production. This toolkit is the result of a project led by creative industry’s representative partners of the European audiovisual social dialogue in order to strengthen sustainable production capabilities and provide a unique source of information on what practices, tools, initiatives, incentives are already driving the sustainable transition of the industry. Deliverables: |
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| Screens of tomorrow is a movement initiated by a hundred French audiovisual and film professionals who want to tell stories highlighting a more inclusive and sustainable society. Among them: Mediawan, Banijay, Canal +, Pathé, Haut et Court, France Tv, Nord Ouest, Arte, TF1, Newen, Ubisoft, Echo studio, Secoya... Together, they have co-constructed a new tool: the Screens of tomorrow guide. Created by and for the TV and film professionals, this guide serves as a means to reconsider writing and story line development routines to create new reference points for viewers. It includes a questionnaire to reassess writing automatisms without hindering their creativity, as well as a resource centre giving access to studies and expert advice on social and environmental issues. | |
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The Eco Movie Manifesto aims to bake sustainability into the DNA of audiovisual stories from the moment synapses connect to form them. It goes upstream: from the dawn of script development, screen directors will champion diverse stories that can be told with minimal environmental impact. FERA will promote the “Vows of Sustainability”, restrictions for directors designed to positively simulate creativity and cultural diversity in addition to reducing carbon emissions of audiovisual production, and the ethos that informs them to the its 20,000 strong European screen directors community. |
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NEST, Northern Europe Sustainability Team-up, is a network created to spread and disseminate information about development and trends on sustainable production in Northern Europe. The network includes members from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Northern Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As a part of the making knowledge available the NEST has created a database of information on sustainable initiatives. The database is publicly available on demand. NEST also organizes seminars, workshops and meetings to promote and inspire the members and the regions. The network invites key players such as producers, green consultants and more to inspire and educate our members. The goal is to promote sustainable coproduction in the region. |
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Europe’s label of excellence for EU-funded projects that demonstrate the impact and inclusiveness of regional development since 2008. Green Screen, the Interreg funded project (see higher), has been selected for the 2023 awards. |
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Created in 2009 as a collective, Ecoprod's mission is to unite and support the audiovisual sector in the broadest sense (cinema, advertising, TV, digital, corporate, etc.) in assessing and reducing its environmental impact. Guide to Filming in Natural Environments by Ecoprod (in French, July 2023) |
Reports and Studies
| Name & Date | Useful Links |
| Eco-production Impact study by Ecoprod (April 2024) | |
| Albert 2022 Annual Review (October 2023) | |
| “Greening the Creative Europe programme" study, commissioned by the European Commission (May 2023) | |
| Fuel Project Supplier Guidance Report (October 2022) | |
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Study commissioned by the European Commission and prepared by Philipp Gassmann on: "Greening the European Audiovisual Industry" (June 2021) |
here |
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Study on the Carbon impact of video streaming, Carbon Trust (June 2021) |
here |
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CineRegio Green Reports 2020 |
here |