Blockchain Initiatives Dynamics Regarding The Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Using a public and open database, we analyze the dynamics of blockchain trends in relation to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the use of blockchains is natural for SDGs related to cross-border payments or supply chain management for instance, some SDGs have received significantly less attention. We provide a deep analysis of the interplay between SDGs and assess the absolute and relative dynamics of the attention received by all SDGs. In terms of infrastructure, we show that the share of projects using a public blockchain has recently been increasing. Nonetheless, too many projects are not transparent about their underlying infrastructure. Overall, our research can be used by policy makers to design efficient blockchain policies toward the achievement of the United Nations' SDGs.

Keywords: Blockchain, Sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation Dynamics

JEL Classification: O10, O39, Q01, Q55