Nordic countries push sustainability in film and TV
By Anders Lorenzen
Photo: Det Danske Filminstitut
This month, we explore the Nordic countries’ leadership in imbedding sustainability in the film and TV sector.
In September, Nordic collaboration on sustainability took another step forward with the Nordic Ecological Standard (NES), a joint standard for sustainability. According to the stakeholders behind the new standard, the aim is for the Nordic film and TV industry to reduce its climate footprints.
The Danish Film Institute developed the standard with its Nordic counterparts and the Nordisk Film & TV Fund; it builds on existing, tested standards in Germany and Austria. A large coalition – including producers, broadcasters and Nordic funds – has signed on. The signatories have pledged to adopt the standard within a few years.
Collaboration – a core Nordic value, which led to the establishment of NES – will also be the key to its success. Commenting on the launch of NES, head of the Danish Film Institute, Tine Fischer, says: “We all know that no one can solve the climate crisis on their own, but with joint standards and a will to cooperate, we can create the right conditions that make it easier to act responsibly.”
Incorporating sustainability practices into the film and TV industry overall has seen an increased focus in recent years, due to the industry’s significant and growing carbon footprint across all industry areas: development and pre-production, production, post-production, distribution, and exhibition.
The NES standard covers all types of audiovisual production and covers six core areas: generic requirements, transport of people and equipment, energy usage, accommodation and catering, content usage, and biodiversity.
It’s another example of the strong spirit of collaboration between the Nordic film and TV sectors.
Even before NES, the Nordic countries were already leading the way in incorporating sustainability into productions, either through reduced emissions or through the storyline.
Anders Lorenzen is a Danish blogger and film and TV enthusiast living in London.
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