BlockNews
  • CRYPTO
  • FINANCE
  • Politics
  • Memecoins
  • NFT
  • Technology
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
FOLLOW
BlockNews
  • CRYPTO
  • FINANCE
  • Politics
  • Memecoins
  • NFT
  • Technology
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
BlockNews
Home BUSINESS

A Counter Perspective to Greenpeace’s Claims on Bitcoin’s Negative Environmental Impact

by BlockNews Team
July 19, 2023
in BUSINESS, CRYPTO, Media
A A
Greenpeace’s Conflict With Bitcoin Births The Rise Of A Desirable Mascot
1
SHARES
Share on XShare on RedditTelegram
  • The environmental impact of Bitcoin, as reported by Greenpease, is reevaluated by an ESG investor and member of the Bitcoin community who provides evidence suggesting a net-positive effect by 2030.
  • Critical data points include decreasing Bitcoin emissions, the role of Bitcoin mining in accelerating the renewable transition, and its potential in methane mitigation.
  • The rebuttal emphasizes the importance of comprehensive understanding and avoiding biases when evaluating Bitcoin’s environmental implications.

When it comes to Bitcoin’s environmental impact, recent reports by Greenpeace and others have painted a dire picture, warning that “Left unchecked, Bitcoin’s climate destruction is likely to accelerate.” This, however, isn’t the full story, and such analyses are often met with fervent counterarguments from those within the Bitcoin community.

One notable rebuttal to Greenpeace’s viewpoint comes from a Daniel Batten, an ESG focused hedge fund manager, who provides a comprehensive reassessment of the claims made about Bitcoin’s environmental impact. Batten  criticizes Greenpeace’s assessment for lacking objectivity and disregarding key data points that suggest the opposite of the proposed environmental catastrophe: “Left unchecked, Bitcoin’s minimal environmental impact is likely to lessen further, and could in fact become net-positive to the environment before 2030.”

Data Points Suggesting an Environmentally Friendly Bitcoin

Batten identifies three critical data points to support their argument:

  • Bitcoin emissions are decreasing even as hashrate increases: Counter to the claim of rising emissions, evidence suggests that Bitcoin emissions have marginally decreased over a four-year halving cycle.
  • Bitcoin mining helps build out the renewable grid: Batten cites the perspective of Brad Jones, former interim CEO of the ERCOT grid, who has observed Bitcoin’s role in providing grid stability firsthand. Jones asserts that Bitcoin mining not only makes renewable operators more profitable but also accelerates the renewable transition, drives down electricity costs for all users, and does not compete with other users of electricity.
  • Bitcoin’s role in methane mitigation: Batten further highlights the potential of Bitcoin mining in mitigating methane emissions, particularly from Landfill Gas, providing an economic alternative to offset emissions compared to new solar installations.

When considering both positive and negative environmental externalities, Batten concludes that Bitcoin mining has an overall 21:5 balance net-positive.

Dispelling Misconceptions and Fallacies

Aside from addressing the environmental impact, Batten also counters the claim that a “change in the code” would reduce Bitcoin’s environmental footprint. He argues that such a suggestion reveals an ignorance of how Bitcoin’s code base and the Proof of Work consensus mechanism function.

Furthermore, Batten contests Greenpeace’s portrayal of Bitcoin as a significant contributor to coal usage. In reality, the global electrical grid predominantly fuels many technologies, not just Bitcoin. Ironically, because of its unique ability to use off-grid power (mostly renewable sources), Bitcoin’s scope-2 emissions are lower than many other grid-reliant technologies.

Batten calls on Greenpeace, environmental organizations, journalists, and academics to better understand the intricacies of Bitcoin mining, its environmental implications, and the diverse roles it can play in renewable energy and climate change mitigation. According to Batten, making projections about Bitcoin’s environmental impact without understanding the specificities of the Bitcoin ecosystem is as flawed as trying to understand the Internet’s power consumption without grasping Moore’s Law.

Tags: BitcoinEnvironmentGreenpeace
TweetShareShareShare

DON'T MISS THESE! HOT OFF THE PRESS

TRX Finds Its Floor as IPO Hype and Political Buzz Stir Up the Market
CRYPTO

TRX Finds Its Floor as IPO Hype and Political Buzz Stir Up the Market

June 21, 2025
Dogecoin to $5? One Analyst Thinks It’s Coming—and Has Charts to Back It Up
CRYPTO

Dogecoin to $5? One Analyst Thinks It’s Coming—and Has Charts to Back It Up

June 21, 2025
Solana vs Litecoin: Who’s Closer to That Sweet ETF Approval?
CRYPTO

Solana vs Litecoin: Who’s Closer to That Sweet ETF Approval?

June 21, 2025
Binance Coin Builds Tension Beneath Resistance as Traders Brace for Impact
Binance BNB

Binance Coin Builds Tension Beneath Resistance as Traders Brace for Impact

June 21, 2025
XRP Ledger Shatters Record with 5.1 Million Transactions in a Day
CRYPTO

XRP Ledger Shatters Record with 5.1 Million Transactions in a Day

June 21, 2025
Ethereum Might Be Way Too Cheap… If Stablecoins Blow Up
CRYPTO

Ethereum Might Be Way Too Cheap… If Stablecoins Blow Up

June 21, 2025
Load More

Related News

TRX Finds Its Floor as IPO Hype and Political Buzz Stir Up the Market

TRX Finds Its Floor as IPO Hype and Political Buzz Stir Up the Market

June 21, 2025
Dogecoin to $5? One Analyst Thinks It’s Coming—and Has Charts to Back It Up

Dogecoin to $5? One Analyst Thinks It’s Coming—and Has Charts to Back It Up

June 21, 2025
Solana vs Litecoin: Who’s Closer to That Sweet ETF Approval?

Solana vs Litecoin: Who’s Closer to That Sweet ETF Approval?

June 21, 2025
Binance Coin Builds Tension Beneath Resistance as Traders Brace for Impact

Binance Coin Builds Tension Beneath Resistance as Traders Brace for Impact

June 21, 2025
XRP Ledger Shatters Record with 5.1 Million Transactions in a Day

XRP Ledger Shatters Record with 5.1 Million Transactions in a Day

June 21, 2025
Discord Twitter Youtube TikTok Instagram

BLOCKNEWS.COM

BlockNews

BlockNews.com is your premier source for real-time cryptocurrency, blockchain, and financial market news.

Our mission is to deliver accurate, timely, and insightful information to help both seasoned investors and newcomers navigate the evolving digital economy.

With in-depth analysis, exclusive insights, and up-to-date news, BlockNews.com keeps you informed on the latest trends in crypto, DeFi, NFTs, tech, and beyond.

Stay ahead of the herd with BlockNews.com

RESOURCES

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

POPULAR TOPICS

$ADA $XRP AI Avalanche Binance Bitcoin Bitcoin ETF blackrock Blockchain BTC Business Cardano Chainlink China Coinbase Coinglass crypto cryptocurrency Crypto Exchange Crypto Regulation DeFi Dogecoin Donald Trump Elon Musk ETF eth ethereum Federal Reserve FTX grayscale Memecoin metaverse Microstrategy NFT NFTs PEPE ripple sec Shiba Inu Solana Stablecoin Technology US Web3 xrp

GET QUICKER UPDATES ON X

© 2022-2025 BlockNews.com - Crypto and NFT news website by Aiur Labs.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • CRYPTO
  • Memecoins
  • Technology
  • Politics
  • FINANCE
  • NFT
  • DEFI
  • Opinion

© 2022-2025 BlockNews.com - Crypto and NFT news website by Aiur Labs.