Shaping a Sustainable Future for Animation
Sustainability in animation is no longer a side conversation or a trend to be replaced. In 2026, it is becoming a structural priority, which marks a shift from voluntary action to shared standards, measurable frameworks, and accountability. So what is this sustainability in animation about?
In the film industry at large, the topic of sustainable filmmaking has been gaining momentum in the past two decades, with many regional initiatives emerging mostly in Western Europe, responding to EU Green Deal, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and followed by regional commitments to increase environmental sustainability at the national level. The film industry, entertainment industry and culture at large have its role to play. The central focus became the recording, analysing and lowering the environmental footprint and impact of the film and entertainment industry.
As the animation industry grows, so does its environmental footprint. Energy-intensive rendering, complex digital pipelines, unregulated use of AI entering the workflows, and international co-production models all challenge the long-held perception that the animation industry has a low impact. Long gone are the days when animation production is judged as live-action with less impact. Addressing this requires a coordinated, collaborative, industry-wide action. But until recently, dedicated efforts to distinguish what sustainability means for animation were sparse.
Let’s see a quick overview of already existing sustainability standards and carbon footprint calculators across Europe, primarily intended for film:
The United Kingdom pioneered one of the first publicly available carbon calculators for film and TV with BAFTA albert. Launched in 2011, albert provides a comprehensive toolkit, including a carbon footprint calculator and free online training programs, designed to help productions assess their environmental impact and adopt sustainable practices.
To address the need for standardized carbon emission factors across Europe, the EURECA was developed. EURECA was developed by a consortium of European film funds and is designed to standardize carbon footprint measurement for audiovisual productions across Europe. It uses European scientific conversion factors and is available for free.
France’s Ecoprod, a not-for-profit association launched in 2009, has been a trailblazer in promoting sustainable filmmaking in France. Carbon Clap is France’s leading carbon calculator for film and TV, developed by Ecoprod and certified by the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma). It is free for professionals and integrates with the Ecoprod Label for sustainable production. However, it uses French-specific emission factors to provide accurate carbon footprint assessments for French or France-based productions. Ecoprod also offers resources such as best practice guides and case studies, making it a holistic platform for eco-responsible filmmaking. The initiative’s collaboration with major French broadcasters and studios underscores its commitment to driving systemic change.
In 2025, the Creative Europe MEDIA launched a carbon footprint calculator with an intention to provide a European carbon footprint calculator, developed by YAMDU. This tool stands out for its use of emission factors from all 27 EU member states, making it one of the most geographically inclusive calculators available. By integrating localized data, the calculator ensures that productions from all EU countries can measure their impact.
Green Shooting is a German initiative led by the MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg, offering a certification system and minimum ecological standards for film and TV productions. Green Shooting in Germany provides a certification system for sustainable film and TV productions, along with a carbon footprint calculator and practical guidelines. The initiative is widely recognized for its rigorous standards and has been adopted by major German broadcasters and production companies.
GREEN FILM is a certification and rating system for sustainable film production, developed by the Trentino Film Commission in Italy. It is now adopted by film funds and commissions across Europe. GREEN FILM offers productions a detailed assessment of their environmental impact, along with incentives for adopting eco-friendly practices. The initiative has gained traction for its focus on local sustainability, making it a model for regional film commissions across Europe.
Now the problem is, that most of these initiatives were created as standalone, disconnected from each other from the start. Since so much of the film (and animation) industry is based on international co-production, this has resulted in confusion and difficulty in standardising approaches which support international collaboration and sustainable filmmaking for co-productions. Animation studios face unique sustainability challenges related mainly to digital infrastructure, energy consumption, and material issues that differ from live-action production. At the same time, resources for animation remain rare for the moment and the very wide variety of techniques used creates specific challenges for animation studios in managing their green footprint.
An important stepping stone is the publishing of the Green Animation Guide, first published in 2023 in France by Ecoprod and La Cartouch’Verte in partnership with Anim’France, re-released last summer at Annecy in its international English version and with additional information from around the world. Its international version was developed with the help of experts and animation professionals from Europe and around the world, including CEE Animation. The guide is a collaborative effort led by Ecoprod, Green Film and Cine Regio with the support of several regional film funds. It is built on a three-step strategy: Measure, Reduce, and Certify. It breaks down the entire production pipeline into actionable areas. This marked a decisive step in analysing and outlining the specificities of the animation industry’s environmental impact, and gathering the international input from professionals, organisations and studios, supported by CEE Animation.
In 2023, another important guide was published – the Polish studio MOMAKIN published a Stop Motion Green Guide by StopMoLab at the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum in Lodz, co-authored by German experts in the field of sustainable film-making Birgit Heidsiek and Anika Kruse from Green Film Shooting. This guide outlines best practices as well as direct experiences gained by participants of the StopMoLab, focusing on the unique challenges relevant to stop motion.
Anim’France developed an animation-specific carbon calculation tool called Carbulator, which is being translated into English at the time of release. As the founder Stéphane Le Bars informed during the CEE Animation Green Animation Lab in Gdańsk in November 2025, there are future plans to integrate carbon emission factors from other countries besides France, which would make its usability transferable.
Notable to mention:
Eurimages initiated the creation of an online learning platform, which launched in early 2025 at the Berlin EFM. An e-learning platform called StepUP was developed by French non-profit Ecoprod with an international network of partners. Created to enhance the skills of audiovisual professionals from Eurimages member countries and other regions in green production through online training courses, webinars, quizzes and practical guides, the platform’s ambition is to become a hub and resource centre on green filming in an international context. Specialised modules for different production types are being developed, with animation being a priority for the upcoming years.
Right now you can freely access webinars on sustainable production, fundamentals of carbon calculation and how producers can integrate sustainability into their projects while balancing creative ambition, budget constraints and production realities:
https://stepup.ecoprod.com/stepup-webinars/
Also check out the free StepUP course: Introduction to green production
In 2026, even if national requirements for sustainable filmmaking often lag behind, film producers and cultural organisers are feeling a growing pressure by the main international stakeholders in funding, asking them to outline and commit to environmentally sustainable strategies that comply with international frameworks, notably Creative Europe and Eurimages funds. This shift has also seen a dedicated role and department emerge in the industry – the sustainability consultant or manager, with an understanding of the film industry paired with knowledge on environmental sustainability. But while there is no standardisation and third-party auditing of strategies and footprints, how Green can we claim to be?
Initiatives like ANiMPACT by CineRegio, Ecoprod, and Green Film mark a turning point, since they are working towards coherent, internationally recognised sustainability standards in animation production. The future ambition is to have a unified certification system, which has not been achieved in the live-action film industry thus far. It is especially important to see widespread support of this initiative among international stakeholders from the start, including networks such as Animation in Europe, CARTOON and CEE Animation who disseminate the information further to the main target groups and increase regional cooperation on this.
What we need now is to gather support from studios and producers, and for them to show willingness to move beyond principles into implementation.
The ANiMPACT feedback survey can be accessed here and completed within 30 minutes: https://tally.so/r/D4V21j
At the same time, the animation industry operates across very different realities relating to production capacities, infrastructure, and funding conditions, country to country. For universal sustainability standards to work, they must be adaptable to different working conditions, supporting studios across all regions. This is why the consultation stage which started on March 3rd and is open until May 3rd, is essential. The voices and feedback of producers, studios, and professionals from all across Europe and beyond will be collected and reflected in the final framework. Only through broad participation in the feedback stage can we ensure that sustainability does not become a barrier, but rather a shared opportunity for innovation, efficiency, and long-term resilience for all.
Looking ahead, the next phase will be implementation. Standards will need to be tested in real production environments, integrated into international and regional funding and commissioning systems, and supported by practical tools and training. This transition will inevitably bring challenges, but it also represents a unique opportunity to shape the future of our industry.
Sustainability is now becoming part of the core infrastructure of animation. We can expect to see even more stringent rules and requirements from funders, commissioners and buyers like broadcasters and streamers.
That is why the decisions we make now will shape not only how we produce, but how inclusive and future-proof our industry will be. Now is the time to contribute, to test, and to co-create the standards that will define the next generation of animation.
Article written by: Valentína Hučková
