Sustainability In The Media Industry Statistics 2026

By 2026, electricity demand from data centers is expected to rise by 20 percent, even as more of the grid goes renewable, creating a sharp tension for sustainability in streaming and ad delivery. Behind that pressure are measurable impacts and tightening rules, from CSRD reporting requirements to guidance on greener web performance and verified claims about the environment. Let’s map the media value chain from power use to carbon accounting and see where the biggest wins and bottlenecks actually sit.

Key Takeaways

1.8 million terajoules of energy were consumed by the information and communications technology (ICT) sector globally in 2022, quantifying the footprint relevant to digital media operations
The Alliance for Water Stewardship reported 2022 that water consumption for ICT cooling is significant; IEA quantifies water use trends for data centers in its report
1.3 billion metric tons of CO2e were estimated to be associated with the global ICT sector in 2022, highlighting the broader climate relevance for media tech stacks
Companies in the EU face CSRD reporting obligations for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2024 for certain entities, expanding sustainability reporting in the media value chain
The EU Taxonomy climate-related screening criteria expanded in 2023 via Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 and amendments, affecting which activities can be classified as sustainable
The EU adopted the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in December 2022, mandating sustainability reporting for large companies and listed SMEs
Comscore reported digital ad impressions growth of 7% year-over-year in 2023 (US), increasing the need for sustainability considerations in ad tech and delivery
In the UK, 62% of publishers reported taking steps to reduce environmental impact in 2022 (industry survey), showing adoption of sustainability practices
24% of households in the UK reported using streaming services weekly in a 2023 survey (usage metric), linking audience behavior to streaming-related energy and network impacts
Paper and board recycling rate in the EU was 82.2% in 2022 (Eurostat), relevant to newspaper, magazine, and publishing materials
In 2023, 72% of people reported they want media companies to help them understand climate change, reflecting content demand
The EU’s Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2808 specifies GHG reporting for electricity suppliers and is used in energy disclosure contexts relevant to media operations
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard is used by thousands of companies to quantify emissions; it was updated in 2004 as first release (baseline) and remains widely referenced
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2021 standards were published in 2021 and include disclosure topics that many media companies adopt for sustainability reporting
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) reached 2,000+ companies with near-term targets by 2023, indicating broad corporate uptake relevant to media advertisers’ sustainability claims

ICT already drives major electricity, CO2e, and water use, so greener media tech and reporting are urgent.

01 · Category

Energy & Emissions8 stats

1.8 million terajoules of energy were consumed by the information and communications technology (ICT) sector globally in 2022, quantifying the footprint relevant to digital media operations

The Alliance for Water Stewardship reported 2022 that water consumption for ICT cooling is significant; IEA quantifies water use trends for data centers in its report

1.3 billion metric tons of CO2e were estimated to be associated with the global ICT sector in 2022, highlighting the broader climate relevance for media tech stacks

Netflix reported using 100% renewable energy for its operations in 2023 (electricity use), as stated in its annual Impact Report

Apple reported that its global operations are powered by 100% renewable energy, providing a reference point for device and platform sustainability footprints

Warner Bros. Discovery reported total greenhouse gas emissions of 46.9 million metric tons CO2e for 2023 (company disclosure), giving a large-audience media footprint benchmark

In 2023, the IEA estimated that demand-side energy efficiency improvements can reduce global electricity demand growth by about 30% by 2030, supporting the case for greener media technologies

In 2023, the Internet Archive estimated that data centers can reduce emissions through improved efficiency and that improving PUE lowers electricity and emissions; IEA defines PUE meaning

Interpretation

Energy & Emissions Interpretation

In the Energy and Emissions lens, the data shows ICT tied to 1.3 billion metric tons of CO2e in 2022 while targeted efficiency gains could cut projected global electricity demand growth by about 30% by 2030, and major streaming and device companies using 100% renewable energy in recent years underscores how decarbonizing media operations is both urgent and achievable.

02 · Category

Regulation & Policy9 stats

Companies in the EU face CSRD reporting obligations for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2024 for certain entities, expanding sustainability reporting in the media value chain

The EU Taxonomy climate-related screening criteria expanded in 2023 via Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 and amendments, affecting which activities can be classified as sustainable

The EU adopted the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in December 2022, mandating sustainability reporting for large companies and listed SMEs

The European Commission’s Digital Services Act (DSA) entered into force in November 2022, affecting how platforms may present and moderate content (relevant to sustainability misinformation)

The EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive sustainability-related obligations were updated in 2018 (Directive (EU) 2018/1808), informing media service compliance

The EU Green Claims Directive proposal targeted misleading environmental claims and entered into finalization in 2024, affecting how media can portray sustainability claims

In 2023, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology funded initiatives addressing Green Digitalisation, including for media tech stacks

In 2023, the EU’s Digital Markets Act entered into force, influencing platform competition and potentially affecting ad ecosystem incentives for sustainability measurement

In 2023, the EU AI Act was adopted, enabling future sustainability reporting and enforcement impacts; adoption date provides regulatory certainty

Interpretation

Regulation & Policy Interpretation

For the Regulation & Policy angle, the EU is rapidly tightening sustainability expectations across the media value chain as CSRD starts for financial years on or after 1 January 2024 and is now backed by an expanding climate taxonomy and newer platform and AI rules that entered into force or were adopted between 2022 and 2023.

03 · Category

User Adoption3 stats

Comscore reported digital ad impressions growth of 7% year-over-year in 2023 (US), increasing the need for sustainability considerations in ad tech and delivery

In the UK, 62% of publishers reported taking steps to reduce environmental impact in 2022 (industry survey), showing adoption of sustainability practices

24% of households in the UK reported using streaming services weekly in a 2023 survey (usage metric), linking audience behavior to streaming-related energy and network impacts

Interpretation

User Adoption Interpretation

User Adoption is accelerating as publishers and audiences bring sustainability into everyday media use, with 62% of UK publishers already taking steps to cut environmental impact in 2022 and streaming expanding to 24% of UK households using it weekly in 2023, alongside US digital ad impressions rising 7% year over year in 2023.

04 · Category

Waste & Circularity1 stats

Paper and board recycling rate in the EU was 82.2% in 2022 (Eurostat), relevant to newspaper, magazine, and publishing materials

Interpretation

Waste & Circularity Interpretation

In Waste and Circularity, the EU’s paper and board recycling rate reached 82.2% in 2022, showing that most newspaper, magazine, and other publishing materials are being recovered back into circulation.

05 · Category

Consumer Behavior1 stats

In 2023, 72% of people reported they want media companies to help them understand climate change, reflecting content demand

Interpretation

Consumer Behavior Interpretation

In 2023, 72% of people said they want media companies to help them understand climate change, showing that consumer demand is directly shaping how sustainability content should be delivered.

06 · Category

Reporting & Disclosure3 stats

The EU’s Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2808 specifies GHG reporting for electricity suppliers and is used in energy disclosure contexts relevant to media operations

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard is used by thousands of companies to quantify emissions; it was updated in 2004 as first release (baseline) and remains widely referenced

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2021 standards were published in 2021 and include disclosure topics that many media companies adopt for sustainability reporting

Interpretation

Reporting & Disclosure Interpretation

In the Reporting and Disclosure angle, major frameworks are converging, with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard still widely used since its 2004 baseline update, while the EU’s Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2808 and the GRI 2021 standards add more detailed, 2021-era emissions and disclosure requirements that many media companies can directly build into their reporting.

Sustainability In IndustrySustainability In The Life Science Industry Statistics

07 · Category

Industry Trends3 stats

Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) reached 2,000+ companies with near-term targets by 2023, indicating broad corporate uptake relevant to media advertisers’ sustainability claims

In 2023, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) reported that broadcasters are increasingly adopting sustainable production practices; EBU’s Green Toolkit was released with measurable guidance for productions

20% increase in electricity demand from data centers by 2026 is expected in the IEA’s Stated Policies Scenario (worldwide electricity demand attributable to data centers rising sharply), underscoring scaling pressures for digital services that include media streaming and hosting

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

For the industry trends angle, the rapid momentum toward verified climate action is clear as SBTi surpassed 2,000 companies with near-term targets by 2023 while broadcasters expand measurable sustainable production guidance and data centers face a projected 20% electricity demand jump by 2026, tightening sustainability expectations across media advertising and digital infrastructure.

08 · Category

Market Size1 stats

In 2024, Netflix reported 260.28 million paid memberships globally in Q1 2024 (company quarterly disclosure), indicating streaming footprint scale

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

In Q1 2024 Netflix alone reported 260.28 million paid memberships globally, underscoring the massive market scale of sustainability efforts in the media industry driven by streaming’s vast subscriber footprint.

09 · Category

Performance Metrics1 stats

In 2024, the W3C published Web Performance and energy guidance showing that reducing JavaScript can cut energy use; vendor study cited reductions of up to 20%

Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

In 2024, W3C’s web performance and energy guidance highlighted that cutting JavaScript can reduce energy use, with vendor studies showing reductions of up to 20%, reinforcing how performance metrics can directly drive sustainability outcomes.

10 · Category

Emissions & Energy6 stats

31% of global electricity generation is from renewable sources in 2023 (share of generation), indicating the average-grid decarbonization potential for powering internet and media services

58% of organizations reported using renewable electricity or having renewable energy procurement targets (survey metric), relevant to decarbonizing power for data centers and broadcast/streaming infrastructure

9% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the ICT sector (share), providing a widely cited baseline for the climate relevance of digital-media and communications infrastructure

13% of global electricity consumption is attributed to data transmission (share), relevant to the network portion of streaming and other digital media delivery

25% reduction in energy can be achieved by optimizing encoding settings in video workflows (reported experimental finding), indicating a concrete lever for greener production and delivery

5.2% of global corporate electricity procurement is estimated to be from renewables via renewable power agreements in 2023 (market estimate), indicating ongoing decarbonization of power used for digital operations

Interpretation

Emissions & Energy Interpretation

For the Emissions & Energy angle, the data shows real decarbonization momentum with 31% renewable electricity generation in 2023 alongside 58% of organizations using renewable power or setting procurement targets, even as ICT still accounts for 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions and data transmission drives 13% of global electricity consumption.

11 · Category

Materials & Waste1 stats

82% recycling rate for paper and paperboard in the EU in 2022 (EU recycling rate for paper and paperboard), relevant to sustainability impacts of print and publishing supply chains

Interpretation

Materials & Waste Interpretation

In the Materials and Waste category, the EU’s 82% recycling rate for paper and paperboard in 2022 shows that a large share of print and publishing materials can be kept in circulation, reducing the amount of waste entering landfills and incineration.

12 · Category

Industry Adoption1 stats

40% of surveyed organizations said they use carbon-aware scheduling for workloads where available (survey metric), relevant to shifting media rendering/transcoding and batch tasks to lower-carbon periods

Interpretation

Industry Adoption Interpretation

In the Industry Adoption category, 40% of surveyed organizations report using carbon-aware scheduling, indicating that a meaningful share of the media sector is already shifting compute-heavy rendering and batch workloads to lower-carbon periods when options are available.

Reference

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APA

Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Media Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-media-industry-statistics

MLA

Gabrielle Fontaine. "Sustainability In The Media Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-media-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Sustainability In The Media Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-media-industry-statistics.