Can We Measure Bitcoin’s Impact on the Environment?

Harvard Business Review · Oct 24, 2026 · 12m

Can We Measure Bitcoin’s Impact on the Environment?

Uploaded 24-05-21

25 May 2021

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Today, Bitcoin consumes as much energy as a small country. This certainly sounds alarming — but the reality is a little more complicated, says Nic Carter, whose firm invests in public blockchain startups.

00:00 What does Bitcoin have to do with the environment?

01:15 How does Bitcoin consume energy?

01:40 What does Bitcoin mining actually look like?

03:08 What is the controversy around Bitcoin's energy consumption?

03:35 Bitcoin consumes around 0.55% of global energy production.

04:04 What's wrong with how…