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SUMMARY:Smart\, Commodified and Encoded: Blockchain Technology for Environ
 mental Sustainability and Nature Conservation - Chris Sandbrook (Universit
 y of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20220517T120000Z
DTEND:20220517T130000Z
UID:TALK173825@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Fleur Nash
DESCRIPTION:Reading discussion on the following paper: \n\nWe explore the 
 implications of blockchain technology for conservation and environmental p
 olicy. Drawing on an analysis of 27 initiatives\, we examine their goals\,
  assumptions\, visions and workings. We find that these initiatives do not
  yet form a coherent approach\, there is too much variety in their environ
 mental focus\, and the role of blockchain technology in achieving their go
 als. However\, they share a faith in environmental-commodity markets\, a p
 enchant for surveillance and upward accountability\, and lack a critical a
 nalysis of the main causes of environmental problems. Blockchain initiativ
 es are forming a growing community of praxis and deepen ongoing trends in 
 neoliberal environmental governance\, characterised by the increased commo
 dification and global accounting\, surveillance and marketisation of envir
 onmental goods\, services and outcomes. We suggest these services and outc
 omes fail to challenge the actual root causes of environmental degradation
 . At the same time\, they are not all necessarily flawed by these characte
 ristics. They can render information held by communities financially valua
 ble in ways those communities may find useful. Future research should focu
 s on exploring whether blockchain initiatives may at least translate in co
 ncrete environmental outcomes and contribute to the well-being of natural 
 resource managers
LOCATION:Delivered online via Zoom
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