Following its industry-first sustainability announcement that SBS plans to reach net zero emissions by 2045, SBS has become the first to measure the carbon footprint of a television program’s production through Sustainable Screens Australia.
SBS’s much-loved cooking program, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, now in its sixth season, had its carbon footprint validated by the albert Calculator – a tool to calculate and validate greenhouse gas emissions – via the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability, Sustainable Screen Australia, of which SBS is a founding member.
SBS Director of Television, Kathryn Fink said:
“We’re thrilled to see The Cook Up with Adam Liaw achieving this important Australian television first.”
“At SBS, we have ambitious plans in sustainability and are committed to ensuring they are credible, sound and have meaningful third-party validation which the albert Calculator provided.”
“The Cook Up with Adam Liaw recorded emission levels below international industry averages, demonstrating the work being done both behind and in front of the camera to lead in sustainability.”
“Not only does the show itself value and celebrate sustainable food and cooking practices, but our production crew have also made impactful changes to catering and transportation to minimise our carbon footprint.”
“This is an important first step for this show and others to minimise emissions in production and set up the blueprint for our next shows in this process: Insight and Going Places with Ernie Dingo.”
SBS has also initiated the process for submitting its net zero targets to be validated by global standard Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the internationally recognised standard for science-based greenhouse gas emissions targets. The SBTi will audit the broadcaster’s decarbonisation modelling to ensure it aligns with the latest science.
Also coinciding with Earth Day, SBS Audio will launch the first two episodes of new podcast Everything We Need, which explores how regional communities are meeting the challenge of climate change.
From dust storms that completely darken towns in the middle of the day to extreme bushfire risk, the six-part series speaks to people experiencing the harsh realities of climate change. In Mildura, Victoria, one of Australia’s food bowls, climate champions and farmers talk about building a resilient future to secure food supply for locals and innovating a system of water trading.
Free to stream on SBS On Demand will be a new Earth Day Collection to enjoy, featuring documentaries and programs with a sustainability theme.
At its 2024 Upfronts, in October last year, SBS announced a number of market leading sustainability announcements including that it had achieved net zero on its direct emissions (covering Scope 1 and 2) and that it was also setting an ambitious target to reach net zero by 2045 across all three scopes, including its supply chain.
