Seven new letters - DIMPACT
DIMPACT is a carbon footprint assessment tool for media companies developed by scientists from the University of Bristol, consulting agency Carnstone Partners Ltd. and a dozen large companies (including Netflix and British media conglomerates BT and Sky). The project started in 2019.
DIMPACT consists of software modules that analyze different media content formats and services: streaming video, advertising display technologies, business intelligence tools, and more. The solution can be fine-tuned for each specific case. For example, for video streaming, the technique analyzes both the video itself and how it is delivered to viewers. In the future, modules will be added that will be able to estimate the carbon footprint of streaming video games and music.
Based on the results of the analysis, DIMPACT indicates the problem points due to which the system generates the most emissions into the atmosphere. Based on this information, you can redesign your work and make it cleaner.
The ultimate goal of the creators of the metric is to provide a publicly available online tool that will allow any digital media company to accurately calculate its carbon footprint (both its own and that of users).
Senior Partner, Carnstone Partners Ltd. Christian Tonnesen notes that if a digital content company wants a scientifically based plan on how to reduce air pollution, DIMPACT provides detailed information for that. “When we started in 2019, there was some uncertainty as to whether it was even possible to create a web-based digital media tool. Today we have not only a working tool, but also an interested group of companies, as well as big plans for the future, ”says Tonnesen.
Some big IT companies have already announced when they plan to be carbon neutral. For example, Microsoft and Apple call2030 year. Google reports that it has already become one. "Cleansing" in the plan and Facebook.
Previous attempts
IT companies have tried this kind of research before. For example, the BBC in 2016 released a report detailing the carbon footprint of its live streaming. YouTube released a similar report in 2019; in it, the company announced the annual volume of its carbon footprint - about 10 million tons. YouTube noted that this volume is comparable to the emissions of a city the size of Glasgow, and it could be significantly reduced if people listen to music without watching the video.
Netflix first revealeddata on their carbon footprint based on the DIMPACT methodology. Netflix claims that the platform generated less than 100 grams of carbon dioxide per hour of streaming in 2020. This is less than what a car throws away 400 meters. The company added that for it, these are not just abstract numbers, but a basis for concrete actions that will help make Netflix's business more green.
Fighting disinformation
Curiously, the topic of reducing the carbon footprint for services that store and broadcast data from the clouds is inextricably linked with a large number of fakes. Moreover, fakes are spread, including by respected media. For example, last year, the British television program Dispatches (aired for over 30 years) said that with 7 billion views of the song "Despacito", YouTube was using more electricity than all the world's data centers require. It was also said that in terms of damage to the environment, 30 minutes of watching videos on the Internet is equivalent to a 6-kilometer journey by car.
In fact, this is not the case. Research by the International Energy Agency, Carbon Brief and the World Economic Forum has refuted the false claims .
Let's summarize
The cloud services industry needed an environmentally friendly methodology based on hard numbers. And she finally got it in the form of DIMPACT. In addition to Netflix, DIMPACT is used by the BBC, ITV, Sky and other media corporations. If your business is cloud and data-driven, you might also want to consider calculating your carbon footprint.
If you are an ordinary user of Netflix and other services, you can rest easy. No matter how many hours you spend on serials, you will not harm nature much.
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