Coupling of cryptocurrency trading with the sustainable environmental goals: is it on the cards?

Following the systematic review and bibliometric analysis of current literature, this paper attempts to investigate whether the wealth generated through cryptocurrency trading can assist in attaining United Nation's (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, affordable and clean energy and UN SDG 13 related to climate action. The critical analysis of literature indicates a growing interest in cryptocurrency, the UN's SDGs and the negative effect of crypto mining on the use of enormous energy. However, there is a clear gap in the literature focusing on the possibility of using the wealth generated through cryptocurrency trading in financing environmentally friendly projects and attaining the UN's SDG 7 and SDG 13. The findings and the future research direction of this study aim to expand the academic literature related to SDG 7 and SDG 13 and the relationship between cryptocurrency and sustainability even during the uncertain period. This study provides evidence about the theoretical models that can be applied in the discussion of the complex relationship between cryptocurrency, clean energy and climate action. Our findings will provide policymakers in identifying ways to convert the cryptocurrency generated wealth in attaining sustainable socio-economic goals in the future.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Mustafa, F., Lodh, S., Nandy, M., & Kumar, V. (2021). Coupling of cryptocurrency trading with the sustainable environmental goals: Is it on the cards? Business Strategy and the Environment, 31( 3), 1152– 1168, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2947. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.