The screen industry emits 16–25 tonnes of CO₂e per hour of content.
But it's easily avoidable.
According to independent film production averages.
What's driving those emissions?
Fuel & Generators
~60% of a production's carbon footprint comes from fuel — mostly generators and transport. On average, 30% of fuel powers massive on-set generators alone.
Travel & Transport
65% of a UK production's total footprint comes from travel and transport. A US blockbuster averaging 3,370 tonnes of CO₂e has roughly 2,560 tonnes in travel and energy combined — equivalent to one car circling the globe 335 times.
Paper
An estimated 18 million acres of forest are cut down each year for paper. Every tonne of recycled paper saves 1,438 litres of oil. Going paperless on set is the simplest first step.
Plastic
A plastic water bottle takes 700 years to biodegrade. Recycling a tonne of plastic saves 1,000–2,000 gallons of gasoline. Productions in hot climates use thousands of plastic bottles per shoot day.
Electricity
Electricity generation accounts for 42.5% of global CO₂ emissions. Most still comes from coal. Every studio light, monitor, and AC unit counts.
Food Waste
Unconsumed food contributes to CO₂ through production and distribution. Locally sourced, seasonal catering can significantly reduce a production's food footprint — and save money.
The climate context in 2026
Atmospheric CO₂ reached a record 422.7 parts per million in 2024 — 50% above pre-industrial levels. That year was the first to exceed 1.5°C above the pre-industrial baseline: the threshold the Paris Agreement was designed to prevent.
Global CO₂ emissions hit an all-time high of 37.8 billion tonnes in 2024. The remaining carbon budget to limit warming to 1.5°C at 50% probability will be exhausted within approximately six years at current emission rates.
The screen industry is not the biggest emitter. But it has the biggest platform. What we show — and how we make it — both matter.
What Greener Screen does about it
We built a localised toolkit that ensures each production in the Arab region can be environmentally sustainable. By adopting sustainability values, media professionals can implement eco-friendly strategies as part of their production process — resulting in environmental, social, and financial gain.
A sustainable production can save over $400,000 in a single production through waste reduction, donated materials, and eliminated single-use items. Green production is not a cost. It's an investment.
Green production is becoming mandatory
Since July 2023, compliance with new ecological standards has been a legal requirement for all publicly funded film, TV, and online productions in Germany. The EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) — in force since 2024 — now requires eligible companies to report full Scope 3 (value chain) emissions. Broadcasters and streaming platforms across Europe are accelerating their net-zero commitments.
The MENA region is not yet regulated. That is a window — and a responsibility.