To protect the planet, the Festival de Cannes is taking action
- Vinca Van Eecke
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
Aware of the importance of its environmental impact, of its role in the film industry and of its influence, the Festival de Cannes intends to participate in the fight against climate change.
Since 2021, the Festival has been engaged in an overarching, proactive and practical environmental approach. The Festival quickly made the choice to base its action on a scope that it has a mastery of, by focusing on 3 aspects of its carbon footprint, from the production of the event to the transportation of attendees
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On this basis, it has implemented a series of concrete actions to reduce its carbon footprint, based on 3 fundamental axes:
► REDUCING carbon emissions and waste produced
► RECOVERING residual resources (reusing, recycling)
► SUPPORTING projects that are beneficial for the environment thanks to a voluntary carbon contribution in connection with a committee of experts (3.2 million euros allocated in three years)
In 2024, the Festival de Cannes has decided to go further by making its actions part of a QUANTIFIED REDUCTION TRAJECTORY for its carbon footprint and by guaranteeing this commitment over the long term through ISO 20121 certification.
This long-term action is also ensured by the Festival’s environmental charter, which defines the overarching principles that guide its activities in this matter.
Two additional and complementary axes have been added to the three initial axes of the environmental policy:
► DEFINING A REDUCTION TRAJECTORY for greenhouse gases
► Providing an annual and detailed account of THE FESTIVAL’S CARBON FOOTPRINT TO THE PUBLIC
Anchoring the Festival’s environmental policy in a QUANTIFIED REDUCTION TRAJECTORY following the objectives of the Paris Agreement on the climate, the achievement of which will be ensured by ISO 20121 certification
Starting in 2024, the Festival de Cannes has chosen to engage in a quantified reduction trajectory.
More generally, the Festival de Cannes will continue to base its climate approach on the 6 levers for action already identified, which will guide its future decisions:
– Waste management
– Controlling pollution
– Controlling energy consumption and natural resources
– Training and awareness raising
– Cooperation and sharing of best practices
– Responsible purchasing
This long-term commitment is ensured by the ISO 20121 certification (event sustainability management), obtained in May 2025 following the Festival de Cannes and its Marché du Film, for a three-year certification cycle.
The Festival is also committed to supporting environmental projects at a level of €100,000 per year.
This novel approach made it possible to collect nearly €4,100,000 between 2021 and 2025, including a €400,000 direct contribution from the Festival.
The Festival de Cannes is not the only one taking action on its environmental footprint. The Festival’s stakeholders, both public and private, are also committed to doing so.
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