Environmental and climate protection in the games industry The consequences of the climate crisis are already very noticeable today. We have all been made aware of what will happen if businesses, governments and society at large don’t act quickly to stop the crisis from intensifying further. The games industry takes its social responsibility in this area very seriously. In Germany alone, 76 per cent of games companies are already taking concrete action to operate even more sustainably, including, for example, implementing savings measures in the areas of energy and heating and using green electricity. And around the world, growing numbers of games companies have committed to far-reaching environmental strategies. Further information is available on www.game.de/game-umwelt-guide game, too, is doing its part to protect the environment. The association and its subsidiaries – the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, the esports player foundation, the collecting society VHG and game events – are completely climate-neutral. In addition, in June 2021, game became an associate member of the Playing for the Planet Alliance, an environmental partnership between the UN and the games industry. In joining the alliance, game committed to measuring its environmental impact annually, implementing measures to achieve complete climate neutrality – which it has already accomplished – and informing games companies as to how they can reduce their impact on the environment. One way game does this is by publishing a free guide on environmental and climate protection. In early 2022, game joined forces with gamescom co-organiser Koelnmesse to launch the gamescom goes green sustainability initiative. The new sustainability concept made gamescom the first climate-friendly game event of this size. Every year, further steps are taken to avoid and reduce CO2 emissions, and all remaining emissions from the principal event are 100 per cent offset in cooperation with the climate experts at ClimatePartner. Furthermore, gamescom has launched gamescom forest, a sustainability project with the goal of reforesting a climate-stable mixed woodland near Bayreuth, financed in part through donations from the community as well as exhibiting companies at gamescom. Interview Environmental commitment at Playing for the Planet Alliance Games companies from around the world have joined the Playing for The Planet Alliance, an initiative launched by the United Nations in 2019, to combine efforts for the environment. In this interview, Lisa Pak from Playing for the Planet explains which environmental protection measures are particularly effective and how companies in the game industry can get even more involved in the fight against climate change. What is the goal of the Playing for The Planet Alliance? How do you work together with game companies? At Playing for the Planet, we aim to build a community where studios collaborate rather than compete, providing them with knowledge, guidance and tools for their environmental journey. Members make specific, measurable commitments on sustainability, from reducing carbon emissions to integrating green activations in games. Progress is measured annually in our Impact Report. Which measures have been particularly successful to date? Carbon footprinting can be complex, and many studios seek support. Our report, ‘Untangling the carbon complexities of the video gaming industry’, created jointly with the Carbon Trust, lays the foundation for our industry-specific carbon calculator, which is set to launch in 2025. The Green Game Jam, where studios collaborate on environmental goals, has also been successful. Over the past four years, participating games have planted over 2.5 million trees and raised over USD 1.5 million for environmental causes. What can games companies do to help protect the environment? The games industry’s superpower is its reach, with 3.3 billion players globally. Studios can creatively engage players on environmental issues. Internally, companies can appoint sustainability leads, offer more plant-based meals and allow employees to opt out of company goodies, to name just a few of the easiest steps. Measuring, reducing and offsetting carbon emissions is essential for every organisation. What can policymakers do to increase environmental protection efforts in the game industry? Introducing new policies such as the CSRD regulation is helping to ensure that there is a level playing field with clear expectations as to what the digital economy should deliver. That is helpful, and it is triggering action from studios that before may have been unsure what they could do or should do. But there is always more that can be done. Often the challenge isn’t creating new guidance but hopping over the fence to transfer knowledge and best practices from one sector to another. Lisa Pak Lisa is a consultant at the United Nations Environment Programme and Head of Operations at Playing for the Planet. Her mission is to accelerate the speed at which the game industry and its players take action for the environment. She has been active in the game and advertising industry for over ten years and has expertise in various areas, including strategic partnerships, ad monetisation and user acquisition. Mehr Informationen auf www.playing4theplanet.org
