Short videos empowering rural sustainable development: Case studies from China

Driven by the dual carbon initiative, China’s rural energy system is undergoing a fundamental reconfiguration, shifting away from fossil-based energy sources toward a more sustainable energy system based on renewable sources. As a rapidly emerging digital communication medium, short videos (SVs) provide a new path for the popularization, cognition and application of renewable energy (RE) technology. This paper focused on the two cases of new energy vehicles (NEVs) going to the countryside and sustainable rural tourism as the starting point, and adopted case study and short video content analysis methods to explore the role of SVs in promoting rural renewable energy. The results showed that SVs have effectively enhanced rural audiences’ awareness and acceptance of green technologies through vivid and accessible communication, while also contributing to renewable energy policy communication, promoting sustainable consumption, and improving the public perception of rural areas. Although it still faces challenges such as weak infrastructure in rural areas and homogeneity of short video content, SVs have become a crucial tool for promoting the rural green transformation. To promote the sustainable development of rural areas, it is advisable to enhance rural digital infrastructure, foster the deep integration of green communication with digital technologies, and optimize SVs plus green communication mechanisms to boost both social awareness and the effective transformation of green industries.