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Liverpool Looking to Use Blockchain to Become World’s First Climate Positive City

Kevin O’Brien · @kevinobrienm | Jul 22, 2018 | 19:00

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The Liverpool City Council is looking to become the world’s first climate positive city by the end of 2020 after agreeing to a partnership with an eco-digital company to integrate its blockchain-powered platform into daily operations. 

The city of Liverpool has been working steadily to become more environmentally conscious. From 2012-2016, the city saw a 550 percent increase in renewable energy installations and produced 558,000 fewer tonnes of CO2. Additionally, Liverpool stated in February that it would be replacing more than 15,000 street lights with LED bulbs to save energy.

Now, the maritime city in northwest England is looking to take advantage of blockchain for even more ambitious goals — with the Liverpool City Council striving to make its home the first climate positive authority by the end of 2018 and the world’s first climate positive city by the end of 2020.

Blockchain For Environmental Conservation

According to a tweet from the Liverpool City Council, the Poseidon Foundation has agreed to work with the city to integrate its blockchain-powered platform into city operations.

#News: #Liverpool city council signs deal to use #blockchain technology with @Poseidon_NGO in bid to be world’s first Climate Positive city by 2020 – https://t.co/FaAG93QZmX pic.twitter.com/lmLlVjElIa

— Liverpool City Council (@lpoolcouncil) July 19, 2018

The Poseidon Foundation uses “blockchain technology that introduces transparency and traceability to make and track an impact where it matters most — forest conservation.” So far, it has worked on restoration and conservation projects in Peru, both within Cordillera Azul National Park and the Amazon basin. Additionally, Poseidon’s blockchain platform is already being utilized by ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s to minimize the environmental impacts of making the famous dessert.

As part of the agreement, Poseidon will move its operations to Liverpool in order to conduct a year-long trial of its technology and “work with local schools, universities and businesses to develop educational programmes around climate impact that will play a vital role in the council’s commitment to cut its overall carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.”

The company is also currently collaborating with a company in Liverpool to build the globe’s first climate positive car. Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson expressed praise about the new partnership, stating:

Poseidon’s technology is the first of its kind to truly deliver a solution to governments, businesses and individuals around the world to help reverse the causes of climate change and I am thrilled this agreement will bring this cutting-edge technology to our city.

Anderson also pointed out how working with Poseidon would give the city “radical new ways” to help slash the city’s carbon footprint upwards of 40 percent by 2030, while Poseidon CEO Laszlo Giricz called Liverpool “a trail blazer and a shining example to other cities in the UK and across the world on what can be achieved through harnessing the power of technology.”

Giricz also said the agreement would be the first time “a city will use blockchain technology to go beyond rebalancing its carbon footprint” and called upon other cities to “take action” since “now that it is clear that our platform is fully scalable.”

Confronting A Global Energy Crisis?

Liverpool’s partnership with Poseidon will be showcased at the UN World Cities Day in late October. Mayor Anderson is also set to host a summit in September to show others how Poseidon can make organizations become climate-positive.

A growing number of organizations and entities across the globe have taken an interest in using blockchain technology to solve energy crises and combat concerns about climate change.

The United Nations launched the Climate Chain Coalition in January, which will research how to use blockchain in the fight against a changing climate.

Chile’s executive secretary of the National Energy Commission said in March it would be using blockchain technology to help secure energy data.

What do you think about Liverpool’s new partnership with Poseidon? Does blockchain have a future when it comes to climate change? Let us know in the comments below! 

Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Twitter, AdobeStock.