CEOs of the UK’s largest media brands are to gather at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow to “issue a rallying cry to the global industry to do more and better climate story-telling on screen across all genres.”

12 broadcasters and streamers have signed up to The Climate Content Pledge. The signatories – who represent over 70% of time UK audiences spend watching TV and film – are committing to using their content to help audiences understand what tackling climate change might mean for them, as well as inspire and inform sustainable choices.

At this morning’s panel, the CEOs of the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky and STV will tell industry executives that content must reflect the realities of climate change to remain relevant and to continue to appeal to audiences.

The CEOs will highlight how TV and film have a unique role in helping audiences understand the solutions to tackle climate change and the choices to consider on the path to Net Zero, adding that it is the industry’s responsibility to rise to that challenge.

The Climate Content Pledge has been convened by screen industry environmental agency, albert.

The panel assembled today, will outline how The Climate Content Pledge will build on the cross-industry collaboration facilitated by albert and the work that broadcasters have already been doing individually. They will discuss what it will take for the industry to help audiences navigate climate change, and explain what the Pledge means for them professionally.

The CEO panel takes place at BBC Scotland HQ today (3rd November) at 11am – 12pm UK time and will be streamed live via www.youtube.com/BAFTAGuru

 

THE CLIMATE CONTENT PLEDGE

 

Climate change presents enormous challenges which will affect us all.

 

With the Paris Climate Agreement, nations all over the world have committed to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and avoid catastrophic runaway climate change, carbon emissions must be halved by 2030. The decisions that governments, businesses and individuals make now and over the next five years are crucial to setting a sustainable climate trajectory.  While the situation is urgent and grave, it is not without hope – every tonne of emissions avoided or removed can prevent further damage.

 

We, as members of the global screen industry, have a crucial responsibility to help our audiences engage with these challenges.

 

Therefore, we commit to the following principles:

 

  1. We will reach more of our audiences with content[1] that helps everyone understand and navigate the path to net zero, and inspires them to make greener choices.
  2. We will develop processes that help us to consider climate themes when we are commissioning, developing and producing content.
  3. We will ensure that our efforts are informed by the science.
  4. We will recognise the importance of fair and balanced representations of visions for a sustainable future.
  5. We will work together:
    1. learning from and inspiring each other
    2. sharing relevant industry and audience insights and developing relevant metrics
    3. improving how we measure our impact.
  6. We will communicate regularly with our colleagues, partners, and audiences so that we can all play our part in meeting this shared challenge.

 

These overarching principles are the foundation of our commitment – in addition, each of us will develop and publish our own “company-specific commitment”. We’ll revisit this every year, to review progress against our plans and challenge ourselves and each other to do more. We will continue to work together to support our shared ambitions, and we will share our progress publicly, holding ourselves and each other to account.

 

This pledge was developed by a group of media companies, facilitated by BAFTA albert. We encourage other media companies to adopt this pledge.


[1] For the purposes of this pledge, “content” is all programming with the exception of news.

 

Jon Creamer

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