As the screen industry continues to evolve, conversations around sustainability have become unavoidable—and for good reason. Climate change is impacting the environment, human health, and more recently, productions, with increasing frequency and severity of weather events such as fires, floods, and heatwaves. In September, we, as the Australian cohort, attended the Ascend Sustainability Training program, a four-day workshop in Toronto, led by environmental consultants Green Spark Group and funded by Amazon MGM Studios. This program brought together 30 sustainability professionals from the world’s busiest production hubs to share learnings, meet with North American leaders and innovative vendors, and workshop industry-wide solutions.
The experience made one thing clear: sustainability, like safety before it, needs to become a mandated part of our industry.
We acknowledge the efforts of individuals who already champion sustainability and have been doing so for a long time. We also acknowledge some of the standout green leadership from 2024 such as:
- Docklands Studios becoming Australia’s first studio run 100% on GreenPower.
- SBS committing to 10-year renewable energy power purchase agreement and a goal to reach net zero by 2045.
- Cate Blanchett’s TIFF award speech: “I think there is a moral imperative to make this switch… we are a hugely influential industry and there’s a huge financial and creative opportunity in making work more sustainably.”
Despite differences in location, budget, and size of production, we face similar challenges: gaps in understanding among key decision-makers, financial limitations, and uncertainty around new technologies. Yet, historically, our industry has proven it not only adapts well, but embraces change— we have done it before and we will do it again.
True change will come through collaborative, industry-wide commitment, with leadership and accountability from the top. After decades of debate, global leaders have realised that public funding must be tied to mandated environmental reporting and the employment of sustainability professionals. The 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, for example, has committed to being the first carbon positive Olympics based on the International Olympic Committee’s contractually-bound mandate.
Realising this, we call for the following to be mandated in our industry:
- We call for sustainability mandates to be tied to overarching studio and distributor policies, funding models, deliverables and incentives.
- We call for every production to calculate their carbon emissions and hire sustainability professionals consistent with the size and scale of the production.
- We call for including sustainability in job descriptions and hiring processes, to implement sustainable practices across departments and productions to promote collective responsibility.
As storytellers, we have a unique ability—and responsibility—to influence society. We are the architects of culture, and by leading the way on sustainability, on and off-screen, we will be the example for other industries to follow.
On the fourth day of training in Toronto we attended the 9th annual Sustainable Production Forum and witnessed innovation and sustainable practices first hand. The technology and solutions are here and available now.
To our fellow industry professionals, we implore you to audit your current practices. Use a sustainability lens to reevaluate the way you create, and take meaningful action today.
Australia stands at a crossroads. As global production increasingly prioritises and celebrates green practices, we have an opportunity to embrace sustainable production not just as an ethical responsibility, but as a strategic advantage.
In a world where audiences and investors are becoming more discerning, adopting environmentally sound practices will help us to maintain and grow our competitive edge as a filming destination, to set us apart on a world stage.
As an industry, we have the creativity and resolve to protect the places that define Australian cinema. Together, let’s create not just stories but a legacy—one that values our locations as much as the tales we tell. With commitment and imagination, we can set a new standard for sustainable production.
And the time for these mandates is now.
Sustainability Professionals and Australian cohort of the Ascend Sustainability Training Program 2024
Daniel Astin
Paige Gibson
Zachary Lurje
Lily Rolfe
Lindy Taylor
Sarah Tosone
Narinder Virdee