Europe's cultural heritage and creative industries are at the forefront of the fight against the climate crisis. Through Horizon Europe, the European Union is investing tens of millions of euros in innovative projects that combine art, architecture, science and environmental sustainability. From greener fashion and energy-efficient museums to sustainable digital platforms, discover how the cultural sector shapes a sustainable future for Europe.

Culture as a driver of the European Green Deal

Europe's cultural heritage and artistic creations are not just a glimpse into the past, but actively shape our common future and strengthen social cohesion. As part of the programme's call Horizon Europe 2024 In Cluster 2, entitled "Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society", the European Union has allocated a total budget of approximately €65 million for research and innovation projects focused on green, digital and innovative transformation.

A special chapter dedicated to green cultural heritage includes eight key projects with funding exceeding €30 million. These initiatives respond to the urgent need for climate change adaptation and seek a path towards an inclusive, socially and culturally sustainable transition. The cultural sector is able to inspire behavioral change and societal values that are indispensable for the success of the ecological transition.

The New European Bauhaus: Sustainable Lifestyle Through Art and Design

Initiative New European Bauhaus (NEB) brings a necessary cultural and human dimension to the European Green Deal. It recognises artists, architects and creative workers as key actors who can convey new meanings and drive societal transformation. Four key projects have emerged in this area:

1. Art of Darkness: This project focuses on the aesthetic, cultural and ecological values of natural darkness in urban environments. By creating a network of cities and research institutions, it is organizing five artistic pilots in five countries. The aim is to design more sustainable lighting strategies, reduce light pollution and create a model for other cities.
2. CONVIVIUM: Exploring culinary traditions as a „living heritage“ that reflects societal change, the project combines traditions with modern technologies and develops architectural prototypes for farmers, cultural events and digital tools for museums to support sustainable food production and consumption.
3. Make-a-thek: Creates modular spaces for creation (makerspaces) in public libraries across Europe. The project tests circular approaches to fashion and crafts through pilot trials, making eco-innovations accessible to the general public.
4. STARTUP: It uses a placemaking approach (placemaking) at the community level. Through eight pilots, it is developing a European Framework for Creative Placemaking that helps local actors transform urban spaces into sustainable and inclusive environments.

Climate transition in cultural and creative industries

Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are a major source of economic growth and employment in Europe, but many SMEs in this sector lack the capacity to implement green measures. Four dedicated projects therefore bring concrete solutions to different industry segments:

• Just Fashion: The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters of the environment due to overproduction and textile waste. The project is developing a new sustainability index, testing circular business model tools in six pilot cases and creating an AI support tool to prepare businesses for the new European Green Deal legislation.
• SIMIACCI: Galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM sector) consume significant amounts of energy to maintain precise microclimates and air purity to protect historical artifacts. The project develops innovative MOF adsorbents and predictive AI models, which can reduce energy consumption for indoor air quality management by 30 to 50 %.
• EMCCINNO: It focuses on cultural and artistic social enterprises and their ability to put sustainable business models into practice, thereby supporting the achievement of the European Green Deal's target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
• StreamSCAPES: It addresses the environmental impact of digital content with a focus on video-on-demand (VOD) platforms. It develops carbon footprint measurement methods, certification for green VOD platforms, and the public StreamSCAPES Dashboard, while also engaging the younger generation in creating more sustainable digital habits.

A future built on green values

The Green Transformation of European Cultural Heritage shows that the ecological transition is not just a technical or economic challenge, but above all a profound cultural and social change. By involving citizens, researchers, artists and local communities, sustainable solutions are created that protect our environment while enriching Europe's cultural heritage. The European Union is thus confirming through its investments that sustainable culture is the key to societal resilience and a better future for all. JRi&CO2AI