Proof of Green

What is Proof of Green?

A groundbreaking initiative to achieve consensus on a set of minimum criteria for measuring and disclosing carbon emissions across blockchains and stakeholders.

The Elevator Pitch

Proof of Green is an expandable, chain-agnostic specification document introducing the concept of a “Minimum Viable Standard”.

Rather than aiming to compete with or replace any existing standards and approaches, Proof of Green will be compatible with a wide variety of implementations, articulating a foundational common ground that makes the differences of rigour and approach clearer and more actionable.

It is intended, not as a marketing brand, but as a simple, rigorous, shared basis for interoperability and comparability of environmental impact metrics and tools, enabling all stakeholders to connect through a shared language to discuss, measure, compare, mitigate, and demonstrate environmental impacts.

Why now?

The future of humanity is already being impacted by blockchains.

Growing numbers of people feel an urgent stake in blockchains and are prepared to push.

Climate change is the one conversation where all these blockchain voices are forced into one room.

Proof of Green is a chance to find a common language at a crucial moment, with huge strategic potential for each stakeholder.

Stakeholder opportunities

For Blockchains

Use Proof of Green as a foundation to credibly differentiate and showcase advanced green initiatives.
Enhance your public image by clearly demonstrating a verifiable and trusted commitment to sustainability.
Attract environmentally-conscious developers and users.
Reduce the market costs of “guilt by association” with a general message of blockchain environmental destruction, differentiating in a widely agreed, transparent, and respected way.

For Researchers

Access to a core standard and shared specification facilitates comparative studies and interdisciplinary research.
Play a defining role in refining and evolving the metric.
Collaborate with a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders, enriching academic-industry partnerships.

For Regulators

Simplifies oversight by having a shared language and consistent metric across blockchain platforms and applications.
Enables the crafting of informed, effective, and nuanced policies.
Streamlines communication between the blockchain industry and regulatory bodies.

For Technologists

A universal starting point fosters the development of compatible tools and solutions.
Greater opportunity for collaborative projects and funding.
Reduction in redundancy: build atop a shared foundation rather than from scratch.

For Existing Emission Metrics Providers

Proof of Green acts as a catalyst, highlighting the depth, rigor, and unique strengths of your own advanced metrics.
Opportunity for metrics to become industry gold standards by transparently correlating and differentiating from alternatives.
Foster synergies with other metrics, enhancing the collective learning.

For Civil Society Organizations

Align sustainability goals with technological advancements, bridging the gap between ecology and technology.
Access verifiable and standardized metrics for campaigns, awareness drives, and stakeholder engagement.
Enhance trust with donors and stakeholders through transparent and credible environmental practices.
Play a pivotal role in shaping public discourse around green technologies, influencing policy and industry practices.
Foster collaborations with technologists and researchers, driving community-driven solutions.

Strategic context

The blockchain industry faces growing scrutiny, reputational and regulatory challenges, as well as massive opportunities to differentiate and reduce its environmental impact.

Strategic needs

Transparency

A standardized method of disclosure will make it easier for users, investors, and regulators to understand the environmental impact of different blockchain networks and applications.

This could lead to greater accountability and pressure to reduce emissions.

Public Trust

The energy consumption and environmental impact of blockchain technology, has been a controversial issue.

A consensus on emission disclosure could help improve the public perception of blockchain technology by demonstrating a commitment to transparency and environmental responsibility.

Comparability

With a standardized measurement method, it will be possible to compare the emissions of different blockchains and applications directly.

This could incentivize blockchains to become more efficient in order to be more attractive to environmentally conscious users and investors.

Regulatory Influence

Shared standards and vocabularies for the disclosure of emissions facilitate both negotiation and adoption of accelerating environmental regulation of blockchain technologies.

Proof of Green will be a lever to maximise environmental, product and market fit before a gathering regulatory wave.

Innovation

The need to reduce emissions could drive innovation in the blockchain space, leading to the development of more energy-efficient consensus mechanisms and other technologies.

Chain-specific tooling can also grow from this standard, such as blockchain mining with emission ceilings, or regulatory alerts and dashboards when a chain or node exceeds agreed targets, or places strain upon the domestic electricity grid.

Investment

Investors are increasingly considering environmental factors in their investment decisions.

A standard for measuring and disclosing blockchain emissions could influence investment flows in the blockchain space, potentially favoring more energy-efficient networks, applications, and user behaviors.