Climate storytelling is no longer a niche idea in entertainment. As COP31 puts global climate action back in the spotlight, a new international survey shows that film and TV professionals increasingly want to bring climate themes into their work—even as funding, commissioning and market realities continue to slow progress.
The findings offer one of the clearest snapshots yet of how the screen industry views climate storytelling today. For creators, producers and broadcasters across the world, the message is clear: audiences are ready for stories that reflect the climate era, but the industry still needs better support systems to make those stories happen.
What the new climate storytelling survey found
The international survey, commissioned through the Entertainment & Culture for Climate Action (ECCA) Film & Television Alliance and managed by Ipsos on behalf of Futerra Solutions Union, gathered responses from professionals in 78 countries and 15 languages. While global in scope, it placed particular emphasis on major and emerging production markets including India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Nigeria, the UK and the U.S.
The results paint a nuanced picture of climate storytelling in the screen sector:
- 71% of respondents said they want to include climate-related storytelling in their work.
- 74% believe film and TV can help raise awareness of climate issues.
- 55% said they face barriers when trying to include climate themes.
- Writers, directors and producers made up the majority of participants.
Just as important, many respondents said they are not simply interested in disaster narratives. Instead, they want climate storytelling that feels grounded, relatable and solutions-focused—stories that reflect how climate issues intersect with everyday life, community, work, family and identity.
Why climate storytelling matters in TV and film
For years, environmental themes were often pushed to the margins of mainstream entertainment or framed as issue-driven content with limited commercial reach. That perception is changing. Climate storytelling now has the potential to work across genres, from drama and documentary to comedy, thriller, soap, reality TV and children’s programming.
What makes climate storytelling especially powerful is its flexibility. It does not require every project to become a lecture about emissions or extreme weather. In many cases, the most effective stories are subtle, human and embedded in recognizable situations.
How creators want to approach climate themes
The survey suggests many industry professionals are interested in climate storytelling that:
- Shows practical solutions rather than only catastrophe
- Reflects local realities in different regions and cultures
- Integrates climate concerns into existing genres
- Portrays everyday decision-making shaped by environmental change
- Builds audience connection through character-led narratives
This matters because viewers often respond best when big global issues are made personal. A family drama dealing with heatwaves, a crime series shaped by resource pressure, or a comedy set against changing urban infrastructure can all contribute to meaningful climate storytelling without losing entertainment value.
What is stopping climate storytelling from growing faster?
Despite broad interest, the survey also highlights a persistent gap between creative ambition and industry backing. More than half of respondents reported barriers to developing climate storytelling, and enthusiasm appears weaker among commissioners—the executives and buyers who often determine what gets financed and distributed.
That disconnect may be the single biggest obstacle facing climate storytelling in film and TV today. Creatives may be ready, but if platforms, broadcasters, studios and funders remain cautious, many projects will struggle to move beyond development.
Key barriers identified by the survey
- Funding limitations: Independent producers often lack access to dedicated support for climate-related projects.
- Commissioning hesitation: Buyers may worry that climate themes feel too political, too heavy or too difficult to market.
- Distribution challenges: Even completed projects can face difficulty reaching broad audiences.
- Regional inequality: Financial hurdles are reportedly especially severe in parts of Africa and South America.
- Market-specific needs: A one-size-fits-all strategy does not work across different countries and production ecosystems.
These barriers show that climate storytelling is not just a creative issue. It is also a structural one, tied to economics, gatekeeping and unequal access to production resources.
What the industry should do next
The report’s recommendations point toward practical ways to strengthen climate storytelling worldwide. Chief among them is the need for better funding and distribution pathways for independent producers who are already trying to integrate climate themes into their work.
There is also a strong case for deeper engagement from the industry’s biggest decision-makers. If studios, broadcasters, streamers and funders treat climate storytelling as a legitimate content opportunity rather than a reputational risk, the field could expand quickly.
Priority actions for the screen industry
- Create development funds for climate-aware scripts and formats
- Support locally rooted stories instead of importing generic narratives
- Train commissioners on audience demand for climate storytelling
- Back solutions-focused projects that avoid despair fatigue
- Strengthen international collaboration between creators and climate experts
These steps would help move climate storytelling from good intentions to sustainable industry practice.
Why COP31 gives this conversation new urgency
The release of the survey during COP31 is significant. Global climate summits often focus on policy, emissions targets and state-level negotiations. But culture plays a different role: it shapes public imagination. Film and television can normalize new behaviors, challenge assumptions and help audiences understand climate change not as a distant abstraction, but as part of present-day life.
That is why climate storytelling matters beyond the entertainment business. The stories people watch influence how they talk, vote, empathize and envision the future. In that sense, storytelling is not separate from climate action—it is part of it.
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Conclusion
The new survey confirms that climate storytelling has substantial support among film and TV professionals across the world. Creatives want to tell these stories, and many believe audiences are ready for them. The challenge now is whether commissioners, funders and distributors will catch up.
If the industry is serious about relevance in a warming world, climate storytelling cannot remain an occasional trend. It needs investment, local nuance and long-term commitment. The takeaway from COP31 is simple: climate storytelling is no longer a fringe conversation in entertainment—it is becoming central to the future of TV and film.
