Harnessing Blockchain for Sustainable Development
Lead Researcher: Dr Bernhard Reinsberg
Building on his research on how blockchain technology can be used to address governance problems in international development and climate change, Dr Bernhard Reinsberg initiated impact partnerships with several international development agencies such as the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the German Development Corporation (GIZ) and non-governmental organizations such as Transparency International. With grant support from the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) and the Knowledge Exchange Fund (KEF), he collected a new dataset on donor-led blockchain initiatives which fostered new collaboration with the Development Corporation Directorate (DCD) at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
For the OECD, Bernhard delivered expert inputs to a policy paper on blockchain and development. He also moderated upon invitation an expert panel at the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum in November 2020. In addition, he was invited to provide an expert intervention as panellist at the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC), an annual event organized by Transparency International, to discuss how blockchain technology could be used to combat corruption. In a widely-cited article for The Conversation, he charted out three ways in which blockchain technology could be used to tackle climate change.