The Cop26 climate change conference is an opportunity for the TV industry to inspire even more collaboration on a global level, the director of albert tells TVBEurope.
The conference coincides with albert’s 10th anniversary, and Carys Taylor says she hopes Cop26 can act as a chance to reflect on the past decade. She also teased an announcement happening on Wednesday 3rd November which albert hopes is a “key moment for the whole industry”.
Looking back over the past decade, Taylor says if they could have done anything differently, the organisation should have perhaps been louder from the start. “We should have been braver about telling everyone the importance of this work and why it’s so crucial for us to bring sustainability to the top of the agenda, ” she adds. “That said, I think the TV industry has understood and got to grips with the challenge quicker than other industries.”
albert originally launched in 2011 as a a carbon calculator with a focus on production. “We knew we need to reduce the carbon impact of our TV productions and the mantra was – you can’t manage what you don’t measure. So some key players collaborated to build the first version of albert,” Taylor adds.
“Since that starting point, the project has developed massively – the focus is now not just on production but editorial too. We also have a variety of initiatives and projects from an energy procurement scheme to free training for the industry.”
One of the organisation’s major wins has been the reaction of viewers to seeing the albert certification on programmes from Strictly Come Dancing to BT Sport and Sky Sports’ coverage of the Premier League. “Considering that most programme endboards only flash up for a second and no longer fill the screen, we do see a fair amount of reaction on social. I think the public feel reassured to know the TV industry is taking action,” says Taylor.
