Driving Sustainable Climate Transition of Video-On-Demand Platforms at a Time of Transformation

The overarching goal of StreamSCAPES is to kick start a new era in forward “thinking and doing” in the ways in which production, consumption and decision-making systems in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) lead through the sustainable climate transition (SCT) with a particular emphasis on Video-On-Demand (VOD) platforms as central nodes within audiovisual and cultural ecosystems.

Specifically, StreamSCAPES will provide (i) an interdisciplinary mapping and assessment of the ways in which it is possible to substantially “green” the operations of VOD platforms in the CCIs, (ii) pilot the transformative impact of VOD platforms to engage in “Blue Skies” generation of ideas through a ‘hubs’ based approach, in the form of a future studies approach with a special focus on children and youth, and (iii) co-test the potential of VOD platforms to contribute to the SCT in line with the European Industrial Strategy and the European Green Deal.

To achieve this, a multi-stakeholder team of four core academics and eight key stakeholders, including several European VOD platforms, combines original data and knowledge and collated best practices.

StreamSCAPES, among other things, (a) develops robust methods to measure the carbon footprint of VOD platforms and a pilot SCT VOD certification; (b) designs and develops business clinics providing advice on how VOD platforms can best green their business models; (c) develops a StreamSCAPES Dashboard making public data, such as the carbon footprints of VOD platforms, available to policymakers, professionals and citizens; (d) identifies underutilised approaches that can be used by VOD platforms to boost the SCT; (e) delivers a first-aid kit handbook to empower VOD professionals, audiovisual and cultural workers, and citizens to support the SCT in a bottom-up manner, paying particular attention to engaging young people and children in practices and ‘Blue Skies’ imaginations towards innovation.