Netflix managed to achieve progress toward reaching its goal to become net zero by 2022. The company bought 1.5 million carbon credits in 2021 that translated into cutting down its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 10%.
The carbon credits were from 17 carbon projects. Thanks to those carbon projects, the company claims it had avoided around 14,000 tons of emissions last year. According to reports, Netflix also retired a total of 1.3 million carbon credits from the start of 2021, which enabled it to be on track with its carbon goals.
The company’s total emissions were 1.54 million tons in 2021. Unfortunately, they increased from 1.05 million tons in 2020 due to higher TV and film productions after the pandemic.
Most of the projects the company bought credits from are nature-based initiatives or forest conservation projects. According to the company, it only selects the highest-quality nature-based credits.
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One of them – the Vida Manglar Blue Carbon protects the mangroves and biodiversity of the Colombian Caribbean. Others are the Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project that protects 410,000 hectares of forest in Kenya, the Envira Amazonia Project – a tropical rainforest conservation project in Brazil, the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project that protects a wildlife forest in Africa.
Some other projects are the Northern Kenya Grasslands Project and the Reforesting Degraded Lands in Chile. The company also shares that the projects it selected not only aim to help the environment but also to protect biodiversity, generate jobs and educational opportunities for the local vulnerable communities.
Additionally, Netflix aims to decarbonize film and TV production – its biggest source of emissions. In 2021, the company announced it cut a combined 27,380 gallons of fuel from productions by adding more EVs on set and replacing some diesel generators with mobile electric batteries or green hydrogen power units. It plans to do more on those initiatives this year.
The climate efforts that include buying carbon offsets are all part of achieving its target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2022, and every year thereafter. The company announced its target in March 2021 along with a plan called Net Zero + Nature.
The company’s net zero plan starts with reducing its internal emissions – Scope 1 and 2 by 45% by 2030, based on the Science-Based Targets Initiative Guidance. The second step is neutralizing Scope 3 emissions or the ones that it can’t avoid internally, by investing in carbon offset projects. The company counts on conserving threatened natural areas like tropical forests for that purpose.
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And the third step is removing carbon from the atmosphere by the end of 2022. It will do that by incorporating investment in the regeneration of critical natural ecosystems like projects restoring grasslands, mangroves, and healthy soils that capture and store carbon, in addition to other benefits.
Netflix is showing incredible commitment toward achieving true net zero emissions. Its climate change actions are all reflecting its determination and lack of compromise when it comes to the quality of carbon removal assets. The company also believes protecting nature and forests is essential for decarbonizing the world which is also one of the best strategies confirmed by climate change experts.
