Technology licenser, developer and seller Blackbird has released its latest sustainability study, Decarbonizing Video Production, which highlights how the remote production and adoption of cloud-based solutions in the media industry has contributed towards a reduction in carbon emissions.

The study, produced in collaboration with environmental consultancy Green Element, found that 480 billion hours of live video streaming in 2020 led to a loss of sea ice equivalent to the size of Scotland. However, content providers can help to reduce the industry’s environmental impact by switching to cloud-native video editing solutions. For example, using Blackbird’s solution for video production workflows enables them to decrease carbon emissions by 91 per cent.

Blackbird also found that whilst 90 per cent of editors are using the cloud, 65 per cent are using it inefficiently to move large files.

“A year ago, Blackbird adopted a leadership position by campaigning for a reduction in highly polluting on-premises workflows by employing cloud technology in our paper Video Shouldn’t Cost the Earth,” said Ian McDonough, CEO of Blackbird. “Much progress has been made in this area as awareness and technology have improved.

“In our latest paper, Decarbonizing Video Production, we see that despite these improvements there is still a very high prevalence of ‘cloud-based’ technology which does not utilise the key efficiencies of the cloud, particularly those of power and carbon consumption. The rise of cloud-native solutions such as Blackbird can help reduce carbon emissions at source, dispensing the need for carbon capture technology or offset costs.”  

Content producers such as EVS, LiveU, Sky News Arabia and Eurovision Sport, are using Blackbird’s solution  and leading a transition to greener working methods.

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