Policy assessments for the carbon emission flows and sustainability of Bitcoin blockchain operation in China

Shangrong Jiang; Yuze Li; Quanying Lu; Yongmiao Hong; Dabo Guan; Yu Xiong; Shouyang Wang

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22256-3

Nature Communications (Apr 2021)

Policy assessments for the carbon emission flows and sustainability of Bitcoin blockchain operation in China

Shangrong Jiang,
Yuze Li,
Quanying Lu,
Yongmiao Hong,
Dabo Guan,
Yu Xiong,
Shouyang Wang

Affiliations

Shangrong Jiang: School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuze Li: School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Quanying Lu: Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yongmiao Hong: Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dabo Guan: Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University
Yu Xiong: Surrey Business School, University of Surrey
Shouyang Wang: School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22256-3
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

Read online

The growing energy consumption and carbon emissions of Bitcoin mining could potentially undermine global sustainability efforts. Here, the authors show the annual energy consumption of the Bitcoin blockchain in China is expected to peak in 2024 at 296.59 Twh and generate 130.50 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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