The approaches to sustainability in broadcasting differ significantly between Europe and the United States. European broadcasters are establishing formal systems to monitor and enhance their environmental impact, often driven by public mandates and regulations. In contrast, their US counterparts tend to concentrate on operational efficiency and high-profile initiatives, frequently with less emphasis on comprehensive carbon data or long-term climate strategies.
“The thinking is a million miles apart,” noted Kristan Bullett, CEO of Humans Not Robots. “In the U.S., the focus on energy independence and fossil fuel extraction has grown… Meanwhile, European broadcasters and telcos are prioritizing sustainability, emphasizing ‘measure, measure, measure’ as they assess their carbon footprint.”
Erling Hedkvist of Arkona and Manifold highlighted that European broadcasters, particularly larger public entities, commonly include sustainability clauses in vendor contracts. “All of the ones from public entities and large European broadcasters include sustainability provisions,” Hedkvist stated. “It’s not common among smaller and private broadcasters, especially in the U.S.”
A collaborative effort among UK broadcasters—the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, and UKTV—demonstrates a more proactive European approach. They launched a joint initiative in late 2024 to standardize sustainability reporting for all content, measuring the climate-related themes in their programming. “This universal measurement process is a breakthrough that will allow the industry to deliver on its pledge to create more and better climate content,” explained Catherine Ellis, BAFTA Albert’s head of climate content.
While the US lacks a similar industry-wide initiative, some companies have introduced voluntary internal programs. NBCUniversal’s Sustainable Production Program, for example, utilizes electric vehicles and sustainable production practices. However, these efforts are often optional, focusing on facility performance or production logistics rather than comprehensive emissions data.
Bullett emphasized a critical gap in US sustainability strategies: limited reporting on Scope 3 emissions. “Scope 3 emissions account for more than 90% of a cloud provider’s carbon footprint, and some of them are not reporting these numbers,” he said. “There are mixed feelings about the stories major cloud providers are sharing regarding their green initiatives.”
Europe's approach integrates sustainability into procurement, vendor selection, and content strategy. “It’s embedded at a strategic level,” Bullett observed. “Whereas in the U.S., it’s often viewed as a facility or operations issue, rather than a system-wide priority.”
Despite this, the US is not stagnant. “Sustainability still holds importance in the U.S.,” Bullett acknowledged. “It’s just a different framework – driven more by business efficiency than policy.”
A 2024 Sony Europe report revealed that while many media professionals reported sustainability changes within their organizations, industry culture and cost were significant barriers. “Sustainability can both be good for the planet and the pocketbook at the same time so it’s more than just marketing,” Hedkvist pointed out. This perspective may shift as audiences, investors, and advertisers increasingly focus on environmental practices.
The increasing emissions from video streaming intensify the pressure on both continents to act, but their paths remain divergent due to differing regulatory environments.