Netflix’s 15. 8 million new users set to increase CO2 levels

Written by: Elizabeth Jane Ringrose
Company: Netflix
SDG 13: Climate Action

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“Netflix’s 15. 8 million new users set to increase CO2 levels.”

Netflix acquired 15.8 million new users during mid-March 2020 when many European countries enforced a hard lockdown due to COVID-19 . ¹

Carbon brief has reported that 2020 will see the largest drop in CO2 emission levels to date.² This was due to the decrease in transport use, a reduction in electricity demand for industrial activities, and limited air travel. However, there has been a global increase in streaming services which will counteract the expected decrease in CO2.

Our consumption of online content accounted for 1% of global CO2 omissions in 2019.³ That one percent is comprised of 20% for all non-video uses, 20% other video content such as Skype and Zoom, and 60% for online video content. Streaming platforms such as Netflix account for 34%.⁴

Netflix vice president, Cindy Holland, stated at the Innovation in Television Conference that Netflix users spend at least two hours on the streaming-service every day. The growth in Netflix users has had a direct impact on the global increase in CO2 emissions.⁵ In its Q1 figures, Netflix stated that they have over 182 million users.⁶ Globally, 182 million users streaming Netflix for two hours would generate roughly 61 million kgs of CO2.

Currently, Netflix’s global annual energy consumption is akin to powering 37,000 homes.⁸ An additional factor to consider is the energy type used to stream Netflix. Not all countries have access to renewable energy. An individual in South Africa that consumes 2 hours of Netflix on a laptop creates 0.64 kg of CO2.⁹ South Africa relies heavily on thermal power stations. 77% of South Africa’s energy is produced by coal. ¹⁰

In contrast, an individual in Finland will only generate 0.08 kg ofCO2. Finland has one of the highest shares of renewable energy globally. In 2017 their consumption of renewable energy was 41% of its total energy consumption. ¹¹

Sources

1. https://www.businessinsider.co.za/countries-on-lockdown-coronavirus-italy-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

2. https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/21/21229587/netflix-earnings-coronavirus-pandemic-streaming-entertainment

3. analysis-coronavirus-set-to-cause-largest-ever-annual-fall-in-co2-emissions

4. https://theshiftproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019-02.pdf

5. https://theshiftproject.org/en/article/unsustainable-use-online-video/

6. https://eta.lbl.gov/publications/energy-and-greenhouse-implications-of

7. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200305-why-your-internet-habits-are-not-as-clean-as-you-think

8. https://www.iea.org/commentaries/the-carbon-footprint-of-streaming-video-fact-checking-the-headlines

9. http://www.energy.gov.za/files/coal_frame.html

10. https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/fi_final_necp_main_en.pdf