Activists demand a ban on cryptocurrency mining

Environmental activists have sent an appeal to the US government to impose restrictions on new cryptocurrency mining operations. In this way, environmentalists want to prevent global climate change, Reuters reports. They published the report based on publicly available regulatory documents and financial information. It also used press reports and testimonies from activists across the United States as sources.

Jeremy Fisher, an energy analyst at the nonprofit Sierra Club and co-author of the report, noted that the environmental community is trying to reduce carbon emissions, and cryptocurrency mining could negatively affect progress in their work. A report by environmental groups states that the carbon footprint of bitcoin mining is comparable to the emissions of 6 million cars per year. The carbon footprint of crypto mining amounted to 27.4 million tons from mid-2021 to 2022. This is 3 times more than the largest coal-fired power plant in the United States.

Earlier, the US authorities admitted the possibility of banning mining due to its environmental impact. The White House proposed that miners reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the participation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and other federal agencies, which should also develop environmental standards for the industry. Later, Charles Hoskinson, the head of the Cardano blockchain, warned that these recommendations could lead to a complete ban on bitcoin. However, the White House report is still viewed as at least critical and unprofessional.

Earlier in September, the Environmental Working Group, a non-governmental working group on environmental protection, launched an advertising campaign to switch bitcoin to the Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm.