Climate Stories to Save the World: UK Media and Entertainment Industry Leaders Pledge to Help Audiences Navigate Climate Change with COP26 Climate Content Pledge

COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Glasgow: leading figures from UK entertainment and broadcasting corporations pledge a commitment to integrated climate-focused storytelling across commissioning, development, and content production. The COP26 media industry panel, ‘Telling Climate Stories Together: In Conversation with the Broadcaster CEOs,’ takes place today at 11:00AM GMT. To stream the panel live, register for free tickets here.

As the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference continues deliberations designed to formulate a united global front to tackle the alarming state of the climate, figures from the UK’s leading media organisations are adding their voices to those calling for action. Gathering at COP26 to promote climate story-telling on screen, this morning a panel featuring contributors from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, STV, and SKY will spotlight the crucial responsibility broadcasters and streamers have to help audiences navigate climate challenges through climate-focused storytelling. This convergence of UK entertainment leaders in Glasgow marks the launch of the Climate Content Pledge: a commitment to integrating the reality of climate change into content, to inform and inspire audiences to engage with the climate and make more sustainable choices. 

Engineered by BAFTA-affiliated organisation albert, which advocates for environmental sustainability in the screen industries, the core aim of the Climate Content Pledge is integrating climate-focused storytelling into broadcast and streaming content in a two-pronged approach to screen representation for the climate. Signatories will be committed to considering climate themes in the commissioning and development stages of production, and to integrating the reality of the climate into the storytelling fabric of their content. Initial signatories include the BBC, Britbox, Channel 4, Channel 5, ViacomCBS UK, Discovery, ITV, RTÉ (Ireland), STV, S4C, SKY, and UKTV, together representing 70% of U.K. audiences’ consumption of film and television. 

Crucially, the pledge draws on evidence citing increasing concerns among audiences surrounding climate change as a discerning factor in the move to ramp up climate representation on screen. Polling from Ipsos MORI in August 2021 revealed climate change and pollution as the second-biggest public concern in the UK, second only to COVID-19 and higher than the economy, NHS or education. Television and film are uniquely placed to help viewers understand climate change solutions and positive choices to consider on the path to Net Zero - as BBC Director-General and pledge signatory, Tim Davie, explains: “This pledge is a firm commitment from our industry to go further and faster to engage and inform audiences on the climate challenges we all face. At the BBC we will continue to tell the stories that matter, like in our powerful new drama ‘The Trick,’ or help audiences consider greener choices through our best loved shows like ‘EastEnders’ and with new programmes such as ‘Shop Well for the Planet?’ – but we all have more to do and we must match these efforts off-screen too, which is why we’ve put plans in place to reach Net Zero by 2030.”

What does the Climate Content Pledge mean for content?

It means that we ought to begin seeing more climate-themed issues mediated on screen, in everything from storylines with favourite characters in scripted dramas like ‘Emmerdale’ and ‘Eastenders’ to topical debates and related features on daytime talk shows and factual entertainment programming. ITV CEO Carolyn McCall gave examples from ITV’s content slate: “From plant-based recipes on ‘Daytime’ to putting electric vehicles on ‘Emmerdale,’ ITV is committed to using our reach and world-class talent to make the transition to a sustainable future relevant and accessible for our audiences. This pledge is a demonstration of how an industry can work together to create real change.”

Audiences are overwhelmingly concerned about climate change; albert’s pledge seeks to see this concern reflected across UK streaming content and broadcast programming. Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon reflected ahead of today’s panel: “This is a pivotal time for broadcasters and for our audiences as we join together to tackle the climate crisis that affects us and future generations. Signing this pledge is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for broadcasters and programme makers to work together and use the power of content on every platform. By engaging our viewers and giving them the information they need, we can help them to make informed choices about living more sustainably.” Furthering the climate conversation in a diverse range of content is a vital and welcome objective. The hope is that the UK’s commitment will issue a rallying cry to the wider global entertainment industry to commit to climate storytelling on screen: a promising prospect for raising collective awareness of climate change issues and, perhaps more importantly, for inspiring audiences to make more sustainable choices and take the steps so desperately needed to reduce emissions and protect the environment.

We Are Albert works to enable screen industry professionals to identify and act upon opportunities for effective climate action both on and off screen. For events, online tools, training resources, and practical guidance, visit www.wearealbert.org 

Read the full pledge below:

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 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:

• learning from and inspiring each other

• sharing relevant industry and audience insights and developing relevant metrics

• 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.