MR. ELON MUSK FRS
CEO, CTO, Inventor, Philanthropist
Dear Mr. Musk;
NGO Forum on ADB[1]], a network of over 250 Asian civil society organizations (CSOs), would like to express our deepest gratitude to all sustainable technology and energy innovation that you have ventured on, carefully putting the planet and its people first.
Last 8 February, news reports stated that you have bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoins and that your company will begin accepting bitcoin as a form of payment in the near future[2]. This is a welcome change in the industry, but we hope you would be mindful of Bitcoin's impact on the environment.
The Bitcoin system's current design requires more electricity than is needed to power Denmark[3], it is energy-intensive, and given its expanding condition, the rise of Bitcoin mining may pose a threat to the environment. As the Bitcoin industry grows, the overall electricity consumption caused by every individual transaction will increase steeply. In China, for example, coal is the most significant source of electricity, which means more emissions; Digiconomist puts Bitcoin's annualized emissions at 37 million tons of carbon dioxide. Even the verification process needed to trade Bitcoin is also a polluting endeavor; needless to say, Bitcoin mining and trading might hinder attempts to conserve energy and combat climate change. By failing to regulate these overlooked costs to the environment, nations are practically subsidizing the polluters at public expense.
With these facts on hand, we urge you, Mr. Musk, to strongly engage in the decarbonization of Bitcoin mining and trading; and to promote environmentally sustainable applications of Blockchain without damaging the value of this growing sector. NGO Forum on ADB network hopes that there will be a switch to pollution-free power sources that are already available and likely to accelerate through your influence and leadership.
Respectfully,
Mr. Rayyan Hassan
Executive Director
NGO Forum on ADB
Endorsed by:
350 Pilipinas, Philippines
Action Paysa ne Contre la Faim, DRC
Adarsha Samajik Progoti Sangstha ( ASPS), Bangladesh
Aksi for gender, social and ecological justice, Indonesia
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment, Armenia
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication, Bangladesh
Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development, Philippines
Centre for Environmental Justice, Sri Lanka
Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia
Change Initiative, Bangladesh
CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network), Bangladesh
Conseil Regiinal des Organisatiins Non Gouvernementales de Deve'oppement, RDC
Environmental public society, Armenia
Equitable Cambodia, Cambodia
FIAN, Sri Lanka
Finnish Asiatic Society, Finland
Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines
Fresh Eyes, United Kingdom
Friends with Environment in Development, Uganda
Fundacja "Rozwój TAK - Odkrywki NIE", Poland
Global Rights, Nigeria
GrowthWatch, India
Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF), India
Initiative for Right View, Bangladesh
International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), Tajikistan
Jamaa Resource Initiatives, Kenya, Kenya
Karavali Karnataka Janabhivriddhi Vedike, India
Life Haven Center for Independent living, Philippines
Lumière Synergie pour le Développement, Senegal
Nash Vek, Kyrgyzstan
Safety and Rights Society, Bangladesh
Shabolombi, Bangladesh
Social Economic Development Society [SEDS], Bangladesh.
Songshoptaque, Bangladesh
Sri Lanka Nature Group, Sri Lanka
Umeedenoo, Pakistan
urgewald.e.V., Germany
WomanHealth Philippines, Philippines
World Health Organization, Myanmar
Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation), Nepal
Youth Group on Protection of Environment, Tajikistan
[1] The NGO Forum on ADB is a network of over 250 Asian civil society organizations (CSOs) that has been monitoring the projects, programs, and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). [2] What Elon Musk's bitcoin bet means for Tesla: 5 things to know (2021). Available at: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/What-Elon-Musk-s-bitcoin-bet-means-for-Tesla-5-things-to-know (Accessed: 13 February 2021). [3] How can we reduce Bitcoin pollution? (2019). Available at: https://environment-review.yale.edu/how-can-we-reduce-bitcoin-pollution-0 (Accessed: 13 February 2021)
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