One degree

On May 9th 2007, Rupert Murdoch announced a major initiative to address climate change - committing all News Corporation business across the world to be carbon neutral by 2010, and to inspire action around the world.

We have started by getting our own house in order but we also want to be advocates for efficiency and cleaner energy use.

Every News Corporation building upgrade from Brisbane to Bulgaria is now being required to address its energy needs.

And we are looking at the carbon footprint of our products to see where emissions can be saved.

We’re investigating the carbon generated by the production of our newspapers from the tree to disposal to find ways to reduce it, and have completed the first analysis of the carbon footprint of a DVD.

Emissions which can’t be reduced through efficiency or replaced by renewable energy will be offset to bring News Corp’s total net greenhouse emissions to zero in the next two years.

The evidence of human activity on global climate change demands that we take a fresh approach to energy use.

Since May 2007, energy saving initiatives in News Corporation business have been pursued across the globe.

In the US, from solar-powered golf carts on the Fox Lot in Los Angeles to new lighting at the New York Post – News Corp companies are making energy efficiency part of their every day operations. FOX Sports and Fox Creative Services have made significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of the Super Bowl, including reducing the energy required to produce the event, using more fuel-efficient transportation, and working with business partners to use and promote more sustainable fuels and materials. The FOX Broadcasting Company also offset the 1,825 tonnes of GHG emitted from Super Bowl 2008 air travel.

Fox produced its first carbon neutral programming presentation in May this year. Energy for events and presentations came from biodiesel generators, invitations were issued electronically rather than by post, and guests were encouraged to walk to events rather than use cars. Fox has also secured renewable energy for the American Idol finale at the Nokia Theater, and the red carpet will feature a solar-array that will be providing renewable power to the utility grid.

In the UK, we have built on the success of BskyB, which was the world’s first media company to reduce its carbon footprint to zero in May 2006. Since then, News International has agreed to buy 70% of its electricity from hydroelectric power plants in Scotland, saving over 36,000 tonnes of carbon next year alone. Along with HarperCollins in the UK, News International is now also carbon neutral, with both achieving significant reductions in their respective carbon footprints through switches to renewable energy and internal energy reduction efforts, before investing n renewable energy projects to offset their unavoidable emissions.

In late 2007, News Corporation completed its first purchase of carbon offsets. More than 60,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (vintage 2006 and 2007) had been purchased by June 2008 from a portfolio of wind energy projects in the state of Maharashtra, India and in Manawatu, New Zealand. We considered a wide range of different types of projects in different locations, and conducted a competitive bid before deciding to purchase offsets from Cheyne Capital, an asset management firm with expertise in the voluntary carbon market, and 3Degrees, a wholesaler of renewable energy and other energy- and climate-related products.

Raising awareness. Inspiring others.

News Corp’s 2007 carbon footprint is 637,234 tonnes across our 750 locations in 54 countries. Our audience’s carbon footprint is 10,000 times bigger….

Despite our best efforts to improve our own performance, we know that the climate change problem will not be solved without mass participation by the general public in countries around the globe.

While we work to make changes in our own workplace, we are also acting to ensure our consumers remain informed about and engaged in this important issue – an issue that affects every one of us equally.

News coverage of the issues and debates will continue and increase as the problem becomes more urgent.
But beyond news, climate change has become part of the dramatic and entertainment content of many News Corp businesses. National Geographic Channel has launched Preserve Our Planet programming and MySpace now has a channel dedicated to climate change.

In the US, the Wall Street Journal held its first ECO:nomics conference in March 2008, three days in which business executives, policy makers and environmental experts gathered to discuss the rapidly developing relationship between the environment and the bottom line.

In 2008, the New York Post partnered with New York City’s biggest environmental exhibition, the Go Green Expo, and attracted great advertisers for a special Earth Day section of the paper.

FOX Broadcasting Company launched “Green It. Mean it” in 2008, a week-long campaign to raise both viewer and employee awareness of environmental issues. Various FOX talent offered tips on issues such as energy and water conservation and recycling.

And in April, MySpace partnered with the “Green Apple Festival,” the largest Earth Day celebration in the US. As the premier online media partner of the event, MySpace streamed an exclusive 2-hour webcast special on the Impact Channel (http://impact.myspace.com), including highlights of the nationwide Green Apple Festival events – musical performances, speakers, and backstage and audience interviews.

In the UK, The Sun led the biggest environmental campaign of its kind ever in 2008. The newspaper partnered with Southern Electric to give away 4.5 million energy-efficient light bulbs, with the potential to save 350,000 tons of carbon (more than half of News Corp.’s entire carbon footprint). The Sun turned half of its front page green for the edition.

News Corp. Europe’s Romanian TV station, B1, has initiated a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment and was the only broadcast television station in Romania to air PSAs about “The Big Throw Out Day” – a national initiative to promote recycling of electronic equipment.

And in Asia, STAR kicked off its newly-rebranded climate change initiative – Start Now – in May 2008 with a dedicated website to promote the action STAR’s operations have taken and to educate audiences about what they can do to reduce their impact on climate change

Across all continents, News Corporation employees are also being encouraged to reduce their own carbon footprints, to contribute their ideas and to engage with their audiences and business partners to make a difference around the world.

Click here to download the News Corporation Global Energy Initiative Press Release
Click here to download the text of Rupert Murdoch’s May 2007 announcement