World Economic Forum Blockchain for Scaling Climate Action Whitepaper
A white paper exploring how blockchain technology can drive verifiable, inclusive, and scalable climate solutions.
Positioning Blockchain in the Climate Transition
This research project, conducted in collaboration with the World Economic Forum’s Crypto Sustainability Coalition, culminated in the publication of a white paper that explored the intersection of blockchain innovation and climate action. The study investigated the potential of decentralized technologies to enhance transparency, integrity, and community-driven impact in climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. It addressed both the promises and complexities of blockchain-based climate tools, with an emphasis on equitable implementation for communities most affected by climate inaction.
Ethnographic Mapping of Blockchain’s Role in Climate Transformation
Through a rigorous qualitative methodology, the research team conducted 23 in-depth interviews with thought leaders across regenerative finance, Web3 climate tech, digital MRV, and sustainability policy. These conversations offered a firsthand view into the rapidly evolving world of blockchain-enabled climate action, helping to map the key players, and use cases. The interviews surfaced real-world examples—from anticipatory cash transfers for smallholder farmers to tokenized ecological assets—and highlighted key design principles for effective implementation, including interoperability, data integrity, and local empowerment.
The resulting white paper serves as both a primer for those new to regenerative finance and a guide for decision-makers seeking to integrate blockchain into their climate strategies. It outlines recommendations for cross-sector collaboration, ethical data governance, and regulatory alignment to ensure that these technologies support a just, regenerative, and scalable climate transition. The report contributes to global efforts to embed climate accountability in digital infrastructure and offers a roadmap for aligning emerging technology with long-term planetary stewardship.
Toward an Equitable Digital Climate Infrastructure
FAQs
-
November 2022–April 2023
-
Research, ethnographic interviews, analysis, co-author
-
Conducting a research study, publishing of a white paper
-
World Economic Forum, Climate Collective
-
View the Whitepaper