Greenchains: Can blockchains save the environment?
VentureBeat April 22, 2022
Carbon emissions, as a key driver of environmental change, are coming increasingly under scrutiny by government regulators and in the court of investor opinion. Recent moves by the Biden administration to limit greenhouse gasses and by the SEC to force all public companies to disclose even low levels of carbon footprint impact have garnered significant media attention — reporting and compliance trends that are only likely to accelerate over time as the effects of climate change become more visible and pronounced.
The two most popular public blockchains, Bitcoin and Ethereum, employ a proof-of-work algorithm that consumes vast amounts of processing power, with Bitcoin alone using around 136 Terawatt-hours of electricity per year, more than the Netherlands or Argentina. Not only...