Creative PEC Discussion Papers
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Illustration by Alexander Naughton
The Screen Industries contribution to UK Net Zero targets: transitioning away from diesel generators
Ashton, H., Kääpä, P., Spilsbury, M., Conte, H. and Cuadros Gonzalez, N.
Abstract
This paper examines how the screen industries can contribute to the UK’s net-zero transition by addressing one of their most persistent material impacts: the use of diesel generators and other carbon-intensive mobile power systems in film and television production. The UK has embedded a commitment to net zero in law (the Climate Change Act 2008), yet the environmental footprint of screen production remains difficult to measure and govern. This is in part due to the sector’s fragmented structure, project-based and nomadic modes of production and a reliance on outsourcing and a freelance workforce but is further complicated by the way in which the sector overlaps with transport, construction, energy infrastructure, event production and local authorities.
The paper draws on the Creative PEC sustainability network workshops involving industry leaders, sector arm’s length bodies, unions, screen sustainability professionals and policy makers in the first instance, alongside industry reports, policy frameworks, and a case study of filming in the London Borough of Camden, to analyse why existing certification schemes and voluntary guidelines have not yet provided consistent change in the management of energy on set, particularly mobile energy. It argues that existing and emerging clean mobile energy schemes demonstrate significant commitment across all stakeholders, but also exposes gaps in data transparency, accountability, infrastructure, and workforce capabilities. The Camden case shows how local ambitions for cleaner air and sustainable filming can be undermined by outsourced governance, unclear lines of responsibility, the continued production norms of using diesel generators, and the barriers to transitioning to other forms of mobile energy.
In order to substitute and eliminate diesel generators, there is a need to address current barriers that complicate this transition. Achieving this shift requires not only a change to the physical equipment but a broader change to ‘the way things are done’. Accordingly, there needs to be a coordinated intervention across policy, infrastructure, procurement, licensing, training, and workplace culture. The paper concludes that government support, local regulation, targeted incentives, and industry-wide skills development are essential to make sustainable power the new production ‘norm’ across the sector rather than an optional add-on.
Citation
If the information in this report is used in any subsequent research and/or publications, please cite as follows:
Ashton, H. et al. (2026) The Screen Industries’ contribution to UK Net Zero targets: transitioning away from diesel generators. Creative PEC Discussion Paper Series. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23241063
Incentives as policy scaffolding for a sustainable screen industry
Kääpä, P., Sørensen, I., Ashton, H., Cuadros Gonzalez, N. and Jayaraj, A
Abstract
Incentives are a key driver for enhancing sustainability in the screen industries, yet they remain under-deployed and poorly understood in the UK, where the sector relies on semi-mandatory certification. While such approaches have put sustainability on the agenda, they have delivered neither significant reductions in environmental impact nor meaningful cultural change. This paper examines the incentive types used in the UK – automatic and discretionary, the latter operationalised through uplift or eligibility models, and compares these with approaches in Europe, Brazil and New Zealand. Drawing on scholarship, industry research, policy document analysis and industry-academia workshops, we argue that incentives can integrate sustainability into the production chain as a commercial and competitive advantage, with the capacity to offer operational, cultural, educational and economic benefits. Identifying money and power as the key areas to address, the paper concludes with recommended directions for UK government policy.
Citation
If the information in this report is used in any subsequent research and/or publications, please cite as follows:
Kääpä, P. et al. (2026) Incentives as policy scaffolding for a sustainable screen industry. Creative PEC Discussion Paper Series, Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23240878
Creative PEC Discussion Paper Series
Creative PEC’s Discussion Papers are a collection of publications designed to share ideas and foster debate among academics, policymakers and practitioners on creative industries’ evidence and policies. The papers follow an editorial approval process aimed at preserving a pluralism of views whilst maintaining the high academic standards of Creative PEC.
All Discussion Papers are published subject to editorial discretion. Any views and interpretations expressed in Creative PEC Discussion Papers lie solely with the author(s) and should not be understood as being shared by Creative PEC, its staff (including the Editor of the Series), Newcastle University, the RSA, or the AHRC.
