Development projects conduct measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) processes measure the outcome and impact of projects.

Distributed ledger technology stores data batches in blocks on the network, and the need for independent verification from the network’s users makes the records transparent, secure, verifiable, and immutable, thus improving data auditability and reducing misreporting/fraud of data.

If we must identify the precise activity of a typical development project where blockchain technology can be leveraged, then it would collect and time-stamp project-level data for monitoring purposes.

The challenge is many resource-crunched development projects, especially in developing countries, still collect field data by hand, which can lead to inaccuracies, mistakes and fraud.

Local institutions in the developing countries that implement such projects often lack the systems to ensure the data they report is verifiable.

Blockchain can

• reduce the data risks of local-level institutions,
• improve the validity of the data they report for impact, and
• instill confidence in foreign private donors/investors to fund such development projects.

What this implies is more financing flow can be committed to the local level.

With blockchain enabling local projects to report verifiable performance as part of their MRV processes, local development institutions can gain a greater supply of capital.

The Amazon in Brazil is an example.

The Rainforest project uses blockchain and the Internet of Things to record and transfer data from electrical meters, robotic appliances and emission monitors on the environmental impact. Remote sensing satellites independently verify the status of patches, upon which blockchain smart contracts directly reward the farmers who preserve their rainforest patches. The outcome data is verifiable, and the exclusion of intermediaries while transferring incentives minimizes administrative costs and the siphoning of funds.

Blockchain-enabled MRV processes help disintermediate the intermediaries in a social or sustainability bond issuance, thus reducing issuance costs and making it possible for small enterprises to access the bond market or aggregate smaller assets into bonds.

Limitations: internet capacity and technology literacy.

Summary:

Blockchain’s revolutionary role in improving the MRV processes around data can mobilize more private capital investments for development projects executed by local-level institutions in developing countries.

Excerpt from article “Blockchain tech makes sustainable development goals more achievable” by Sourajit Aiyer and Jae-Hoon Kwak published on CoinTelegraph.

The post Blockchain and Sustainable Development Goals appeared first on Blockchain Insider.

Ripple — a fintech company that allows banks, payment providers and digital asset exchanges to send money using blockchain — has committed to becoming carbon net-zero by 2030.

Ripple focuses on reducing its carbon emissions by making sustainable choices, purchasing carbon offsets and investing in carbon-removal technologies.

Using blockchain to accelerate low-carbon electricity systems

The Energy Web Foundation and Ripple have created “Energy Web Zero,” a new open-source tool designed to enable any blockchain network to decarbonize by purchasing “tokenized” renewable energy.

The Energy Web Zero application establishes digital identities for real-world assets such as large-scale wind and solar facilities around the world. Once these assets are tied to a digital identity, that data is anchored to the Energy Web blockchain, which powers the Energy Web Zero application. Digital energy attribute certificates are then produced from this data to represent renewable energy.

Transparency

Blockchain being used to achieve carbon neutrality makes a lot of sense due to the transparency inherently baked into the technology.

Companies like Google can claim to be eliminating their carbon footprints by purchasing high-quality offsets, yet they are not revealing what, and for what amount, those offsets are.

A public blockchain network will always have proof of the transactions taking place.

Open source platforms are critical for transparency and trust, which is the big difference here.

Tokenizing energy attribute certificates and putting them on a blockchain network may be challenging due to unclear regulations and a lack of industry standards.

Understanding whether or not tokenization is effective depends on whether or not the assets tie back to actual, credible, standardized carbon credits.

The establishment and transactability of such value will require standardization, asset classification systems, and generally-acceptable climate accounting principles.

These tokenized credits should also provide better liquidity and price discovery than standard carbon credit instruments.

Tokenization thereafter empowers companies an ability to price, track and transact in their net-zero performance, both to achieve their objectives in a credible manner, but also the ability to collateralize and secure forward any number of financial instruments to help scale and finance those efforts.

Nori – a climate-change startup that leverages blockchain – allows anyone to purchase carbon certificates in the form of “Nori Carbon Removal Tonnes” — nonfungible tokens that are retired immediately by the buyers. The platform’s NORI token separately serves as the method of payment or trading mechanism.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/xrp-ledger-blockchain-energizes-decarbonization-but-tokenization-a-challenge

The post Decarbonization and XRP Ledger Blockchain appeared first on Blockchain Insider.

Money starts flowing from the fiat monetary system to the crypto world, and vice versa, officially through bigger, institutional players.

After uploaded my presentation slides on An Introduction to Sustainable Development through Social Enterprise to SlideShare, two headlines from CoinTelegraph caught my attention:

1. UNICEF Launches Cryptocurrency Fund Supported by Ethereum Foundation
2. Binance Starts Accepting Fiat Currencies Through Alipay and WeChat

I see links between these “ingredients” : Cryptocurrencies, Digital Assets Exchange, UN SDG, Social Enterprise Model, of which we can serve a really good meal out of it. #ConnectingTheDots

Building an AI driven, Blockchain based Cognitive resources management system powered by Data, Ethically. #ABCDEtheWorld

For sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

News background

UNICEF launches Cryptocurrency Fund

UN Children’s agency becomes first UN Organization to hold and make transactions in cryptocurrency

According to the official announcement published on Oct. 8, UNICEF thus became the first U.N. organization “to hold and make transactions in cryptocurrency,” namely Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore added:

“This is a new and exciting venture for UNICEF. If digital economies and currencies have the potential to shape the lives of coming generations, it is important that we explore the opportunities they offer. That’s why the creation of our Cryptocurrency Fund is a significant and welcome step forward in humanitarian and development work.”

By Liam Frost (Cointelegraph)

Binance Starts Accepting Fiat Currencies Through Alipay and WeChat

Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance has begun accepting fiat currencies through online payment service Alipay and mobile messaging and payment app WeChat, CEO Changpeng Zhao confirmed in a tweet on Oct. 9.

Zhao was quick to clarify that Binance is not working directly with WeChat or Alipay, and users are still able to use them for peer-to-peer transactions.

The move follows the implementation of Binance’s peer-to-peer trading for Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether (USDT) against the Chinese yuan (CNY) earlier on Oct. 9. The service will be initially available to Android users who already have Binance accounts registered for at least 30 days, with support for iOS to follow.

By Ana Alexandre (Cointelegraph)

The post Connecting The Dots appeared first on Blockchain Insider.

‘We are the first generation that can end poverty, the last that can end climate change’ ~ Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. The National SDG Progress Monitoring System is a tool and an enabler. The challenge is how do we provide quality data in a timely matter. Technologies such as Edge Computing and IoT will contribute to part of it.

The launching of Phase 1 for MySDG Analytics was a smooth one.

Keynote by Mohamad Faizal Bin Shebli from CNOPSIS Group on the first blockchain implementation within Malaysia ministry under MySDG platform project for DOSM and UN.

There was a panel discussion session on SDG Progress Monitoring Systems and the Importance of Data for SDG Achievement, moderated by Mr. Ahmad Rizal Khalit from Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The panelists include Ms Irina Tisacova, Madam Nazaria Baharudin, Prof Datuk Denison Jayasooria, and Mr. Anthony Mockler.

While the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, this single step is worth the acknowledgement as it shows the ability of a national team to deliver what had been planned.

Congratulations to team CNOPSIS, team DOSM and team UNCT Malaysia for making this happen.

The post Launching of National SDG Progress Monitoring System with BDAP appeared first on Blockchain Insider.

It was a sunny morning on 22nd October 2018 as we made a trip to DOSM – Department of Statistics Malaysia.

We would be having a briefing on a UN SDG Blueprint Development project with the team at DOSM.

The Generic Statistical Business Process Model was referred to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Ver 5.0, 2013.

1. Specify Needs
2. Design
3. Build
4. Collect
5. Process
6. Analyse
7. Disseminate
8. Evaluate

Project kick off session at DOSM, Putrajaya Malaysia to prepare the blueprint for the development of a national SDG Data Monitoring Dashboard.

BDAP – Blockchain Data Aggregation Platform

The value added feature would be using blockchain technology to build a Blockchain Data Aggregation Platform (BDAP).

The Blockchain Data Aggregation Platform (BDAP) is an incentivised data exchange utilising the blockchain for authentication and authorisation of data providers that are publishing data to DOSM, an incentivisation model for data providers to gain tokens for sharing data.

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.

The details and full list of the Global Indicator Framework can be found at
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/

In the Executive Summary of Eleventh Malaysia Plan (2016-2020), it was also mentioned that:

Malaysia has continuously embraced sustainable development in the national agenda. In this regard, the commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) has been mapped with the Eleventh Plan to align strategies and initiatives to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first phase of a roadmap is being developed to provide guidance for the smooth implementation of the 17 SDGs. The roadmap takes into account the nation’s capacities and capabilities in achieving the identified goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda.

SDG Analytics System will be developed by local company CNOPSIS Group.

The post UN SDG Project Kickoff @ DOSM appeared first on Blockchain Insider.

So many things can be done.

So many problems looking for solutions.

The question is, what and how can we contribute?

We are NOT looking at creating millionaires or business tycoons, it should happened as a bonus, if any. We are looking at a more transparent and fair way of resources distribution, moving towards a moneyless society.

The thing can be as simple as feeding a family. A charity wrapped in dignity.

What the majority of people want is simply food on the table, a simple and happy life.

The fact that poor people survive is a solid proof of their ability. Instead of giving them fish, teach them how to fish – equipped them with the right knowledge, tools, and community support.

Imagine 1,000 new entrepreneurs with an average of only USD 200,000 in revenue per annum, that translates into USD 200 million flowing in the economic system. Do the maths for other figures accordingly.

It might be small figure to big corporate, but it means a lot to a country when such achievements lifted another 1,000 families from the poor.

Consider the ripple effect.

We need more meaningful tasks for people to accomplish. And we do have that long list of pending tasks. #UN #SDG #TheFutureOfWork

We can reverse engineer the current system where it goes wrong.

It can be done. It is achievable.

Images from MARC Rating Methodology document, Impact Bond Assessments by Milly Leong, July 2018.

The post Technology. Business Value. Social Impact. appeared first on Blockchain Insider.