The Bafta film awards are brilliant at making film feel like it matters. The clothes, the cameras, the applause, the shared cultural moment. That spectacle is the point.

But it also has a climate shadow. Not just from the night itself, but from the behaviour it effectively rewards and normalises in the weeks around it.

Here’s the awkward truth: the biggest carbon impact in film and TV isn’t the red carpet. It’s travel. And awards season is, in effect, a celebration of travel.

Industry data backs this up. Bafta Albert is the film and TV industry’s sustainability organisation which supports productions to measure and reduce their environmental impact.

It highlights that productions that report their emissions find that around 65% come from travel and transport, with flights alone accounting for roughly 30% of the total. Energy use – mainly from studios and on-location generators – makes up about a fifth, while materials and waste account for the rest. In short: the carbon is mostly off camera.

So what about the Bafta film awards themselves?

Bafta has made visible efforts to reduce the negative environmental effects of the ceremony. This year, organisers are using diesel-free generators at the venue and green electricity tariffs at Royal Festival Hall in London, plus reusing existing sets and props. Red meat won’t feature on the menu and guests are encouraged to rewear or hire an outfit for the occasion.

A spokesperson for Bafta and Bafta Albert explained that the carbon emissions and the footprint of the awards have been measured and reduced using Bafta Albert resources and guidance. “Proactive steps taken this year include the use of [hydrotreated vegetable oil] HVO........

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