The Screen Greening Coalition of the Irish creative screen industries has launched its new industry-specific carbon calculator today, October 9th.
The BAFTA Albert Carbon Calculator, already used by industry in the UK, allows producers to understand a productions’ environmental impact. By providing some basic information about studio, work, travel, accommodation, locations, materials use and disposal, and post-production; the calculator reveals the extent of the carbon emissions on any given production.
Knowing this information will then allow the producers to offset these emissions by implementing sustainable film making practices throughout their production. These could include eliminating single-use plastic, using water foundations, smart waste management solutions and reducing travel between locations.
The BAFTA Albert Carbon Calculator has been modified for use in Ireland thanks to the work of the Screen Greening Coalition. This coalition includes the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), RTÉ, Screen Ireland, Screen Producers Ireland, TG4 and Virgin Media Television. In early 2018, these stakeholders agreed to fund and introduce the BAFTA Albert Carbon Calculator to Film and TV production in Ireland.
The creative screen industries specific carbon calculator was launched at a panel on sustainable film making at a Responsible Production one day event on Wednesday 9th October in the Alex Hotel in Dublin. Noted Irish film academic Pat Brereton launched the carbon calculator on behalf of the Screen Greening Coalition.
Roser Canela-Mas, Industry Sustainability Manager, from BAFTA’s Albert project also spoke on the panel on how to use the carbon calculator to ensure that producers get the most accurate results and can take steps to offset, and more importantly, reduce their emissions. Other speakers on the panel included: Emellie O’Brien (Earth Angel), Birgit Heidsiek (Green Film Shooting Founder), Geraldine Moloney (Film Distributors’ Association), Eleonora McNamara (Freelance Visual Artist), John Gormley (Screen Producers Ireland), and Panel Chair: Steven Davenport (Screen Ireland).
Given the effects of climate change, the need to introduce more environmentally sustainable film making practices in our industry is clear. The recent reforms of the Film and Tax Credit Section 481 now also include a requirement, recently introduced by the Department of Culture and Screen Ireland, for all qualifying productions to have sustainable film making initiatives on set.