Movies and movie sets are getting more and more elaborate and expensive every day. Given the technology that is employed nowadays in order to create fantasy realms where anything is possible it is no wonder that costs skyrocket at an unprecedented rate. But what about the environment? When we think about movie production it is not something that we necessarily take into account, especially when we are talking about a Disney production such as Snow White. However, maybe we should. The latest Disney feature generated more greenhouse gas emissions in the UK than the latest Fast & Furious film.
While the comparison might seem a bit out of the left field, often action movies that feature cars quite heavily are criticized for the environmental impact that they have. There are a lot of powerful cars on screen, running for a long time and they seem to encourage fans to go for the more “fun” (and thus less environmentally friendly) option when they think about purchasing a new vehicle.
On the other hand, films like Snow White seem to have a much cleaner image, they talk about protecting nature and feature it quite heavily, relying on the environment to compliment the storyline. But this shows that perception is not always reality. A review of over 250 production reports from the Walt Disney Company shows that among its UK-based films released since 2019, the live-action adaptations of Snow White and The Little Mermaid were the most environmentally damaging. These two titles generated more emissions than any other Disney production in the region during that period, according to mandatory environmental disclosures introduced that year.
The impact of production companies like Disney on the environment
Just to put the impact into perspective, the total emissions from producing Snow White and The Little Mermaid surpassed the yearly output of both Birmingham and Luton airports. Individually, each film produced more carbon than the annual emissions of popular venues like Blackpool Pleasure Beach and the O2 Arena in London, where promotional events were even hosted.
Although Disney is an American company, both films were shot at Pinewood Studios near London. Productions filmed in the UK benefit from a government scheme that reimburses up to 25.5% of local spending, requiring studios to submit detailed reports that include both costs and UK-based environmental impact. These accounts show that by the end of 2023, Disney had received £44.9m in return for making Snow White in the UK and £49.7m for The Little Mermaid.
Carbon emissions from film production are categorized into three scopes. Scope one includes emissions from fuel used directly on set, such as for generators powering equipment or heaters. Scope two accounts for emissions related to the electricity used during filming and scope three involves indirect emissions from suppliers, such as materials and services, and is generally outside the direct control of the production companies which means that it is also often left out of formal reports.
As a whole, Snow White produced 3,153 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) in scopes one and two, while The Little Mermaid generated 5,127 tonnes, totaling just over 8,279 tonnes combined. For comparison, Birmingham Airport reported 7,829 tonnes, Luton Airport 6,243 tonnes, and East Midlands Airport 3,351 tonnes for recent reporting periods.
Much of the emissions for both films came from fuel used on set, particularly from generators needed for location shoots, however, some of the environmental impact was mitigated by the use of battery-powered and hybrid generators during production bringing up the emissions.
The impact that these productions have is immense and often not considered until well after the film has wrapped up and nothing can be done to rectify the problem. That is why it is important to monitor these productions from beginning to end and to advocate for better practices within the industry.
