albert has published its annual review, taking a look at the impact the TV industry had on the environment between May 2020 and April 2021.
In 2020, albert saw a 52 per cent reduction in emissions for the average hour of TV, down from 9.2tn CO2e to 4.4 tn.
The report states that much of that decrease is down to restricted travel due to the pandemic, and that it expects the industry’s impact to rise as life returns to normal. “But if some positives can be taken away from 2020, then it must be that there are alternative ways to work which still allow our industry to continue to make excellent programmes, while limiting our impacts on the planet,” it adds.
The increase in remote working and travel restrictions meant that the aggregated total distance travelled by plane reduced by 5.1 million kilometres, which in turn helped to reduce the impact of the average hour of TV production by 2.4 tCO2e.
According to albert, the majority of this reduction was seen in domestic flight travel which is seven times more polluting than rail travel.
Emissions per hour of TV also decreased, dropping from 13 tCO2e/ hr in 2018, to less than 10 tCO2e/ hr in 2020.
Location and studio-based narrative was the most emission-intensive production method in 2020 with 28.5 tCO2e produced per hour of broadcast, the equivalent emissions associated with the average Briton for two years.
Emissions associated with an hour of OB/events in 2020 have dropped by a quarter since 2018 and are a third of what they were in 2019. The report states this is largely due to a decrease in travel and accommodation emissions (decreasing by 78 per cent and 90 per cent respectively, since 2019). Additionally, remote production techniques have improved with more sustainable energy solutions, such as biofuels and hydrogen generators available.
Meanwhile, albert awarded 464 certifications during 2020, a 67 per cent increase on the previous period.
The full report is available to read here.
