Sustainability Beyond Media Carbon Emissions: The Basics for Starting to Measure Carbon Emissions on YouTube
With sustainability being such a crucial focus in recent years, many global brands have begun measuring their corporate carbon emissions. The combination of new carbon reporting regulations plus growing expectations from consumers have pressured brands to start actively working towards decarbonizing.
It’s important to note upfront that media emissions are defined as those generated by the viewer consuming a video ad on their device. Specifically, this refers to the energy consumed when an ad is shown to a consumer on their device, factoring in the time of day and the typical energy source at the viewer’s location.
It’s also key to understand the different types of corporate emissions that are measured, both indirectly and directly. Measure Scope categories 1, 2 and 3, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, help provide standards and guidance for understanding corporate carbon footprint. For YouTube, media emissions fall into Scope 3 (indirect emissions from activities in an organization’s value chain).
Below we’ll discuss some ways in which corporations can act sustainably in reducing their carbon emissions.
Make Shorter Ads, As Long-form Ads Use More Electricity To Deliver
Shorter ad creative can not only reduce your overall media carbon emissions, it has other potential benefits too. Recent studies have highlighted the effectiveness of short-form video ads in capturing audience attention and driving engagement:
- Attention Efficiency: Research indicates that 15-second ads outperform longer formats in capturing viewer attention, with 48% of the total ad being watched, compared to 36% for 30-second ads and 19% for 60-second ads. (source)
- Engagement Rates: Short-form videos have become a crucial tool for marketers, with 93% acknowledging their effectiveness in attracting more customers. (source)
- Cost-Effectiveness: Producing short-form video content is generally more cost-effective and quicker than long-form content, making it an attractive option for businesses with limited resources or tight deadlines. (source)
Broaden the Conversation: Ethical Content Sourcing and Minimizing Waste in Ad Production
While media carbon emissions are a critical focus, sustainability in advertising extends beyond just emissions measurement. Brands can reduce their environmental impact by reevaluating how they actually produce their content.
One key way to do so is by partnering with creators instead of hiring full-scale production teams. By leveraging creator partnerships, brands can:
- Reduce travel-related emissions: Traditional ad shoots often require flights, on-location crews, and extensive set production. In contrast, creators typically produce content in their own established environments.
- Minimize material waste: Large-scale shoots require physical set construction, props, and printed materials that contribute to unnecessary waste. Digital-native creators can produce compelling content with fewer resources.
- Improve authenticity and audience engagement: Viewers increasingly resonate with creator-led advertising because it feels more personal and trustworthy than highly produced brand commercials.
Other sustainable content production strategies include:
- Repurposing existing content: Instead of creating new assets from scratch, brands can remix or extend the lifespan of previous campaigns.
- Prioritizing digital production methods: Using virtual production techniques and AI-powered content generation can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of ad creation.
By shifting towards creator-led and sustainably produced ads, brands can achieve both marketing impact and environmental responsibility.
Ad Net Zero – Who They Are, Full Guide, Etc.
Ad Net Zero is a global climate action program created to help the advertising industry tackle the climate emergency by decarbonizing ad operations, and supporting other industries to promote sustainable products, services, and behaviors. In essence, Ad Net Zero is “helping the advertising industry navigate the net zero transition”.
Ad Net Zero is leading the media industry path forward by aligning us with existing standards (e.g., the GHG Protocol, ISO 14064, ISO 14067) that are based on the latest climate science and best practices. We can provide consistency to advertisers quantifying their GHG emissions, regardless of which agency or partner they operate with, and gain alignment with how advertisers quantify their overall GHG emissions. Consistency with climate standards is particularly crucial due to the growing regulatory requirements to report businesses’ GHG emissions.
Much of the work Ad Net Zero has compiled has been instrumental in developing the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF), a global playbook of voluntary industry standards that address media greenhouse gas emissions data and calculations.
Link to the Quick Action Guide here.
Glossary of Acronyms
Scope 1, 2, 3 – Categories used to measure a company’s carbon footprint.
- Scope 1: Direct emissions from company-owned sources (e.g., company vehicles, office heating).
- Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or cooling.
- Scope 3: All other indirect emissions in a company’s value chain, including media emissions from digital advertising.
Corporate Overhead – The emissions tied to running a business but not directly related to production (e.g., office energy use, employee travel, supply chain logistics).
Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) – A global industry playbook that provides voluntary standards for measuring and reducing carbon emissions in media and advertising.
Sustainability – The practice of making choices today that don’t compromise the planet for future generations—reducing waste, lowering emissions, and making smarter, more responsible business decisions.
Carbon Emissions – The release of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere, primarily from burning fossil fuels. In media, this includes emissions from ad creation, distribution, and consumption.
Paris Agreement – A global climate pact adopted by nearly every country to limit global warming to well below 2°C, with a goal of keeping it under 1.5°C. It sets emission reduction targets to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.
Greenhouse Gas Protocol – The world’s leading standard for measuring and managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It defines Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and helps businesses track their carbon footprint.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) – Any gas that traps heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to climate change. This includes carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), among others.
Quote from Monty Hudson at 51-0, a carbon measurement company
“For most marketing providers, the majority of your greenhouse gas emissions (typically 70-90%) come from your supply chain. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the gold standard for corporate climate action, recommends that companies engage suppliers representing at least 67% of their suppliers by spend or emissions to set their own decarbonisation targets. This means systematically reviewing your vendor relationships across technology partners, production companies, and other service providers to prioritize those with established net-zero commitments. Remember that this accountability flows both ways – just as you’re evaluating your suppliers, your clients (brands and advertisers) are increasingly applying the same scrutiny to their entire supply chain, which includes marketing providers like you. Proactively addressing your carbon footprint not only contributes to global climate goals but strengthens your competitive position as more brands make supplier sustainability a requirement in their procurement processes.”
2025 To-Do Checklist for Sustainable Advertising Practices
✅ Start measuring YouTube media emissions by partnering with Pixability or directly with media emission measurement companies like Cedara, Scope3, or 51-0
✅ Prioritize short-form ads to reduce energy consumption and improve viewer engagement.
✅ Explore creator partnerships to minimize the carbon impact of traditional production.
✅ Align with Ad Net Zero and the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) for standardized reporting and sustainability benchmarks.
✅ Implement AI tools and digital-first production methods to reduce material waste.
✅ Develop an internal sustainability policy that includes responsible media buying and ethical content sourcing.