BBC Cymru Wales and Media Cymru have awarded five production companies up to £20,000 each to research and develop ideas which tell innovative stories of the climate crisis.
The new fund is designed to support TV production companies to research and develop new, innovative ways to inform audiences about the causes, impact and ways of combatting climate change. While the climate crisis is the most existential problem facing humanity in the 21st century, public understanding of the issue is patchy and sometimes confused. The fund brings together a cohort of Welsh indies to research and develop ambitious ideas for climate content to engage and inform audiences.
The news follows an Insight Day this week (29 January 2025) at BBC Central Square in Cardiff, where successful companies presented their winning research and development (R&D) proposals. The chosen projects cover genres including comedy, entertainment and factual, each with a focus on innovative approaches to climate content. Event attendees also engaged with the BBC’s Climate Creatives Strategy, discussed scientific perspectives on climate change and explored insights into how diverse audiences engage with climate content.
R&D projects will take place between 3 February and 30 April 2025, with the potential of the BBC commissioning an idea in summer 2025.
Nick Andrews, BBC Wales’ Head of Commissioning, said: “This fund will fire the imagination of some of our very best storytellers as they take on the challenge and tell one of the most significant stories of our time. With the funding and the headspace to focus on this territory I’m hopeful that we’ll be in a position to commission content that our audience will devour. BBC Cymru Wales backs compelling storytelling and what story could be more timely than this one.”
Professor Justin Lewis, Director of Media Cymru, said: “It’s vital that we commit to producing content which speaks to the wider challenges surrounding the climate crisis. Together with BBC Cymru Wales, we’ve seen some exciting ideas for thought-provoking content to engage and inspire mainstream audiences. I look forward to seeing these proposals develop into tangible and compelling programme ideas.”
Awarded companies include:
Carlam Ltd – The Climate Inspector: How Green is your basket?
Exploring eco-friendly diets with Welsh audiences by investigating people’s shopping baskets with intrigue and humour to ask if their choices are as green as they think.
Joio Cyf – Boiling Frogs
Looking ahead to the climate crisis in Wales 2030. Dwindling resources, crumbling infrastructure, constant flooding, intensifying storms, and a growing migrant population makes life on the estate anything but easy. One family’s fight for survival as water rises during a storm.
Kailash Films Ltd – Rhod Gilbert Saves the World
Offering climate change solutions with comedian Rhod Gilbert to see what’s realistic for the average Welsh person and what isn’t. Rhod Gilbert is going to save the world. Or at least he’s going to give it a damn good try!
Little Wander – The One Planet Show
A new comedy talk show hosted by comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean featuring Welsh community projects, innovative sustainable practices and light-hearted interviews that bridge entertainment and environmentalism.
Teledu Telesgop Cyf – The Invisible Lines
A landmark series demonstrating local and global effects of climate change on current familiar ‘lines’ – coastline, riverbeds, average temperatures, ocean currents, migration routes, Nation boundaries etc. As well as innovative graphic representations of new, future, “invisible lines”.
