Hollywood is pushing stories and climate solutions to the center stage

(Bloomberg) — In a one-on-one conversation on climate change, US Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm talked about increasing the production of clean energy. But her counterpart wasn’t a political maniac; it was director Patty Jenkins.

It was a typically unusual pairing at a Hollywood climate summit, pairing a Washington influencer with the director of a film that has grossed more than $824 million, according to IMDB. The four-day event this week showcased how the entertainment industry can tell better climate stories while also addressing sustainability on set.

“We need help,” Granholm told a theater of entertainment workers, calling for help to accurately portray climate change and tell more stories focused on the energy transition that would help society better understand what the future might look like.

The event also featured film screenings and a variety of plant-based snacks, including eggless eggs and carrot salmon. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences provided a backdrop for discussions about the environment.

“This is the only climate event where you can talk about the climate and then get a headshot,” said comedian Esteban Gast, one of the summit hosts.

Lee Isaac Chung, director of the upcoming film, said the next film will be a scientifically accurate portrayal of storm chasing, a field that has also faced heavy criticism for needlessly chasing danger. He added that the film will also show the effects of natural disasters on a level that films typically don’t.

“We had a chance to talk about what people face in small towns,” Chung said, highlighting his own experiences growing up in Arkansas. The United States, which has the most tornadoes in the world, has seen an increase in the number of days with multiple tornadoes, a trend that may be partly due to climate change.

Accurately portraying the effects of climate change and energy transitions is a major challenge for Hollywood. But so is reducing emissions in the entertainment industry. The Producers Guild of America issued a call to action in 2021 on the need to address the “sporadic and wholly inadequate” sustainability efforts on film sets.

The average film production emits about 33 metric tons of carbon dioxide per day, according to a 2021 report released by a group that includes Netflix Inc., Walt Disney Co. and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., as well as other film industry giants. That’s more than seven times more than the average American vehicle emits annually.

While introducing sustainability to the set may seem daunting, International Alliance of Theatre Employees members Max Schwartz and Allison Elvove said sustainable alternatives to production equipment have increased significantly in the past year, including innovations like renewable diesel generators and electric generators powerful enough to power portions of the filming process. Electric vehicles and other everyday solutions could further reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

While production emissions are a challenge Hollywood will have to overcome, an even bigger challenge is addressing climate pollution associated with streaming. This accounts for the vast majority of emissions in the entertainment industry. Reducing these emissions is a constant struggle for companies. But despite slow progress, Granholm stressed the importance of continuing to work to reduce carbon emissions across all aspects of the industry — and the rest of the economy.

“May we all bear the scars of the most important battle,” she said.