Sus­tain­abil­i­ty - EFAD Members’ Initiatives

In recent years, Green Filming and Distribution of Film has become firmly established and now plays a central role in funding strategies both in national Austrian production and co-productions, emphasizing sustainability and the reduction of CO2 emissions.

The Film Funding Act and specific funding guidelines provide a solid legal foundation for the promotion and implementation of ecologically sustainable production practices. This approach aligns with national and European climate protection goals, ensuring that films supported by the Austrian Film Institute meet contemporary quality standards while contributing meaningfully to environmental sustainability.

To further encourage sustainable practices, the Austrian Film Institute has introduced the ÖFI+ Green Bonus of 5% and has already implemented key criteria for Green Filming. As part of this initiative, a Criteria Catalogue of Ecological Minimum Standards for Austrian Cinema Film Productions (ÖFI/ÖFI+) has been developed. This catalogue is based on the established criteria and measures outlined in the Austrian Ecolabel Guideline UZ76, ‘Green Producing in Film and Television’, and the “Ecological Standards for German Cinema, TV, and Online/VOD Productions”, which were created in collaboration with the film industry and finds solutions for co-productions and international harmonization.

NEWEST DEVELOPMENTS SET TO LAUNCH IN 2025:

- catalogue of criteria for the ecological minimum standards for Austrian cinema film productions ÖFI / ÖFI+// ANIMATION  (online since 01.01.2025)

- publication of first green filming report

INTIATIVES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS IN AUSTRIA

1) Green Bonus / Incentive Model für Production and Distribution

- In line with the Austrian Film Funding Act, the Austrian Film Institute has introduced a 5% Green Bonus and mandatory funding regulations for Green Filming to encourage sustainable practices in national productions and co-productions.

- The Austrian Film Institute has developed a Catalogue of Criteria for Ecological Minimum Standards (ÖFI/ÖFI+), which includes both mandatory (MUST) and aspirational (TARGET) criteria. This catalogue applies to feature films and documentaries, with an additional catalogue specifically for animation films set to launch in 2025.

- A separate Catalogue of Criteria for Austrian Exploitation Funding (ÖFI+), focusing on cinema releases, has also been implemented.

2) Education and Consulting
Costs related to Green Filming and the involvement of Green Film Consultants are eligible for funding. This funding system is designed to facilitate harmonization and cooperation both nationally and transnationally.

In collaboration with the Evergreen Prisma Competence Center for Green Filming—which encompasses a Digital Platform, a Green Filming Academy, and a Joint Network—the Austrian Film Institute has developed the Synergy Model of Green Filming Austria. Evergreen Prisma Academy also offers specialized training programs for Green Film Consultants.

3) Working Groups and Networking

The Austrian Film Institute leads the Working Group Green Filming Austria, including 12 stakeholders from government bodies, public institutions, and national organizations. Participants include ministries, Austrian national and regional film funds, broadcasters, the Austrian Eco Label, industry representatives, and the Association of Green Film Consultants Austria (VGFCA). The working group’s goal is to coordinate and harmonize sustainable media production practices across Austria.

As a member of Green Co/Pro Europe, a transnational working group established by Evergreen Prisma in April 2022, the Austrian Film Institute collaborates with countries that have already implemented green measures. The group’s mission is to develop hands-on solutions for sustainable film production, aligned with federal film laws and funding regulations.

Members of Green Co/Pro Europe are working to harmonize funding regulations and reporting standards for sustainable film production. They aim to achieve mutual recognition and alignment of transnational instruments, including Green Film Consultants, CO2eq calculators (such as klimAktiv: Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland), and catalogues of criteria.

4) Creating Green Department at Austrian Film Institute
In 2023 the Institute has established a Green Filming Department overseeing and developing new measurements, headed by Nina Hauser & Christian Ruthner (contact: email hidden; JavaScript is required)

VAF is one of the frontrunners in the field of sustainable production: sustainable actions are a formal requirement within our support for creation. The customized coaching has measurable effects. Clever choices in the field of transport, energy, catering, waste and material and pre- and postproduction can also result in financial benefits.
In 2018 VAF sustainability approach was widened, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) of the United Nations as a moral compass, aiming to translate them into specific and inspiring actions for the broad media sector. They guide and inspire throughout the entire media chain: from school, script, production to screening.
VAF strengthens its sustainable knowledge, tools and expertise and strives towards a more uniform approach on the EU level. By exchanging knowledge they aim to implement sustainable measures throughout the entire audiovisual chain, working with cinemas and festivals, writers, producers, academic researchers, etc.

Starting from the 2nd session of 2024, film and series projects in the Federation Wallonia-Brussels must include a mandatory sustainability sheet. Aiming to promote eco-responsibility among cinema and audiovisual professionals, the sheet, required for all stages of assistance, outlines the project's sustainable development strategy. The Cinema and Audiovisual Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation has also launched a Sustainability Bonus initiative as part of the Minister of Media and Culture's Sustainability Plan, aimed to incentivize more sustainable and environmentally friendly film productions.

Articles on Sustainable Filmmaking have been introduced in the Regulation of the Funding Programmes for the Support of Cinematographic Production as of 2025. 

Starting in late 2024, the Danish Film Institute will mandate all film productions to complete a sustainability plan based on the Green Film handbook. This initiative aims to reduce the industry's CO2 footprint by encouraging sustainable production practices. The Film School will also offer courses in green film production.

Since  2022, the UK-developed Albert toolkit has been used in Finland to reduce the emissions of audiovisual  productions. The system is free at the point of use for productions and is  available for all Finland professionals. The use of Albert is part of the Foundation’s sustainability strategy, aiming to develop the film and TV industry's social, cultural, economic, and ecological sustainability.

The Foundation is part of Nordic film institutes’ Nordic Sustainability Working Group which tracks and shares knowledge about the environmental sustainability work in the Nordic countries and internationally. The Five Nordics are developing a common Nordic Ecological Standard (NES) for audiovisual productions.

The CNC launched the “Plan Action !” on June 2021, in order to set up a public policy for an energy and ecological transition in the cinema, audiovisual and moving image sectors. This plan aims at encouraging, defining, as well as imposing new obligations on the professionals of these sectors, within a span of 3 years (2022-2024). More specifically, in 2022, the CNC established an Observatory for ecological transition, which studies the green practices and energy impact of the sectors concerned (the first study on the energy impact of cinemas was published in June 2022). Since October 2022, a training programme on ecological challenges and responsible production is offered to university students of film schools. Since March 31, 2023, producers of cinematographic works (feature films and shorts) and audiovisual works (series and one-offs) in the fiction and documentary genres have to provide a carbon footprint for their works when applying for support and when receiving final grant. This obligation extends to animation works and video games as of March 1st, 2025. The aim is to accompany professionals towards a more responsible transformation of the film and audiovisual sectors, and to make them aware of the environmental impact of their activities, to help them reduce it.

As part of the “Plan Action !” and in order to support professionals in the film, audiovisual and advertising sectors in their responsible production approach, which has already begun, and to structure it on a national basis, the CNC and the French Ministry of Culture assisted by the French standards association AFNOR published in 2024 a reference guide. The guidelines provide production companies with concrete actions for producing a film, audiovisual or advertising project, on location, that takes into account the scope of CSR, i.e. environmental issues (carbon, pollution, energy, waste, biodiversity, etc.), social issues (inclusion, parity, training, etc.) and economic issues (responsible purchasing, circular economy, reuse, etc.).

The NFI published a brief online guide with green recommendations for those film professionals who want to be more environmentally conscious in their film production. This was the first step towards a more sustainable Hungarian film industry. Further on NFI initiated a green film production working group consisting of leading local professionals. The green incentive support scheme will be available for domestic productions by the end of 2024. 

The German federal and regional film funding bodies, along with numerous industry stakeholders, have implemented the “Ecological Standards for German Cinema, TV, and Online/VoD Productions.” These standards, which comprise scientifically validated criteria, are designed to reduce the climate and environmental impact of audiovisual productions. They apply to all stages of production from pre- to postproduction and for the parts realized in Germany, generally irrespective of whether the production company is based in Germany or abroad.

The standards have been legally binding for the federal and regional funding institutions since March 2023. Adherence to these ecological standards is now a fundamental requirement for both the application and allocation of funding across all federal and state film funding programs. 

Furthermore, these standards are also applied through voluntary commitments by media companies, platforms, broadcasters, and other key stakeholders in the industry. Under these regulations, producers are authorized to apply for the “green motion” label.

All federal and state funds recognize expenditures for Green Consultants as eligible costs.

The Icelandic Film Centre aims to promote sustainability in the production of Icelandic films. To work toward this goal, IFC requires beneficiaries of production grants to submit a provisional and final report of the production's commitment to sustainable practices.

In 2022 The Icelandic Film Centre adopted GREEN FILM – a rating system designed to promote environmental sustainability for audiovisual productions – to encourage the producers with whom it cooperates to adopt environmentally sustainable work practices. 

In 2024 The Icelandic Film Centre launched a one-year pilot project to assess carbon emissions during film production, aligning with Iceland's Film Policy 2020-2030 goals for sustainability. Partnering with the Green Producers Club, they'll utilize the Green Producers Tool (GPT) to analyze emissions, aiming to understand and reduce the carbon footprint of filmmaking in Iceland.

Screen Ireland’s ambition is for the Irish screen industry to be a leader in sustainable production practices. The agency’s Sustainability Plan, launched in 2022, set out the actions Screen Ireland has committed to, encompassing both internal operations and supports for the wider screen industry to become more sustainable. 

Since the launch of the Plan, the agency has implemented a number of key initiatives:

• A Sustainability Advisor Initiative for Film & TV Production: this provides Screen Ireland-supported live action features and TV drama projects with support from a Sustainability Advisor to help complete a carbon calculator (now a mandatory requirement for all Screen Ireland-funded productions) and implement actions on set to reduce carbon emissions. 
• A Sustainability Innovation Fund: a pilot scheme designed to promote the implementation of emissions reduction practices and accelerate the uptake of low carbon technologies. Live Action and animated feature film and television productions in receipt of Screen Ireland funding that implement innovative and creative approaches to reduce the environmental impact of their production are eligible to apply.
• February 2023 also saw the establishment of the Future Ready Film project, financed through Screen Ireland’s Stakeholders Fund and led by screen industry sustainability expert, Stan Nangle. The objective of the project was twofold; to understand the level of support required by the industry in moving to a low carbon future and; through a process of consultation and collaboration, the creation of an industry standard for sustainable production practices in Ireland. 

The project concluded in October 2023 with the launch of the Sustainability Standards: Live Action Production - a guidebook for production companies on the actions they both must and should take to reduce their emissions and minimise their impact on the environment. 

The Netherlands Film Fund offers various forms of financing and support to make film productions more sustainable and to encourage the sector to take more steps. In addition, the Fund organises training courses and inspiration sessions, where best practices of sustainably shot feature film productions are shared and specific topics are discussed. 

The Netherlands Film Fund also partnered with the VAF (Belgium - Dutch Speaking) to organise a training weekend for professionals interested in promoting sustainability within the film sector. This training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to support sustainability efforts in film productions. During the first Sustainable Film Production training weekend, 15 diverse professionals from Flanders and the Netherlands were trained to become eco-managers.

Economic growth has long had a negative impact on the planet and human health, with issues such as pollution, species extinction and climate change becoming increasingly apparent. Climate change, driven by human activities like transport, energy production and agriculture, is one of the greatest threats to humanity, caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Additionally, the unsustainable exploitation of non-renewable resources exacerbates environmental and economic instability, highlighting the need for urgent systemic change.

The BFI has launched its ten-year strategy, Screen Culture 2033. This includes a National Lottery Strategy for the funding schemes it runs. Underpinning this strategy are three principles, one of which is Environmental Sustainability, including the following pledge: We will take the ecological impact of activity into all our funding decisions, and work with partners to improve it over the next 10 years. We will seek to support approaches that result in overall benefit to the environment, rather than merely seeking to reduce harm. […] Over the next 10 years, we will use our funding plans to scale requirements around environmental sustainability. We will also work with partners to develop effective support for awardees to engage with this strategic principle. The BFI’s funded feature films are required to complete BAFTA albert certification, which includes achieving carbon neutrality. All fiction short films are required to complete carbon foot printing via BAFTA albert. For documentaries, the BFI collaborated with Doc Society on their Green Filming Protocol. Research reports published to map current practice (Green Matters) and propose a sustainable studio production model (Screen New Deal). A Screen New Deal transformation pilot has been launched in Wales, focused on data collection to identify film and HETV-related services which already exist in the area, highlight service gaps and create a location-based transformation plan to decarbonize TV and film production. The BFI continues to programme work in its cinemas and platforms about the climate and ecological crisis, including Green Light: An Immersive Focus on Climate Change in 2021.