by Dr Rand Low
Blockchain and biodiversity don’t usually share a sentence, let alone a strategy.
While the two may seem strange bedfellows, our new research found blockchain technology could help save the planet.
In our recently published study in the Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, my co-author Dr Reuben Clements and I discovered that blockchain could revolutionise conservation funding, turning crypto wallets and NFTs into lifelines for wildlife.
Our research showed blockchain could be used effectively to give donors real ‘skin in the game’ when it comes to protecting the wildlife, landscapes and natural wonders they care about.
A new funding model for conservation
Conservation non-profits are struggling. Traditional funding sources are drying up, and the competition for grants is fierce.
Conventional models often rely on passive donations - you give, you hope it helps, and you move on. blockchain flips that script.
Donors can become participants through tools like NFTs and Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs), which are blockchain-based entities run by code and governed by their members without central leadership.
They can track their impact, vote on how funds are used and even trade digital assets tied to conservation outcomes.
This isn’t just about money - it’s about ownership.
Participation the key to driving donations
When people feel personally invested, they care more, they stay engaged, become advocates and hopefully, give more.
Imagine a DAO where locals and global supporters vote on which reef restoration project or wildlife corridor gets funded next.
Or an NFT marketplace where artists mint digital works to support koala sanctuaries, and buyers join a community that tracks and celebrates real-world impact.
South African wildlife channel WildEarth allows NFT investors to pick from a selection of conservation NFTs and then become that animal’s ‘guardian’. They contribute to the animal’s conservation until someone ‘outbids’ them for the card and takes over as guardian.
The idea itself isn’t new – people have been able to ‘adopt’ an animal through organisations like the World Wildlife Fund for decades.
But using blockchain makes it easy, accessible, offers participants some control over how their donation is spent, and allows small organisations to operate on a global scale.
Managing crypto’s environmental impact
The idea that blockchain could power conservation might seem far-fetched given the resources required to mine cryptocurrency.
It’s true that mining Bitcoin, for example, consumes significant energy. As more people mine, the mathematical problems become harder, requiring more computing power.
However, less popular cryptocurrencies use far less energy, and many companies are transitioning to models that reduce energy use by up to 99.5 percent.
Our research suggests even Bitcoin uses less energy than traditional banking or gold industries, and unlike those systems its energy use is transparent and easier to track.
Many blockchain projects also use renewable energy or buy carbon offsets.
As the technology matures, energy efficiency is becoming a competitive advantage.
Opportunities abound with the right leadership and investment
Nature tourism hubs, often regional cities like the Gold Coast, are perfectly positioned to lead this type of conservation movement and become global centres for digital environmental innovation.
It will need the right policies and legislation to support innovation while protecting consumers from dodgy operators.
It also means investing in digital infrastructure and ensuring these centres have everything they need to set up shop.
Importantly, it means recognising that blockchain isn’t just a financial tool - it’s a platform for purpose.
We’re in an era where people don’t just want to donate, they want to participate and blockchain makes that possible by giving them a stake in the outcome.
For nature tourism hubs, it’s a chance to create economic opportunity while protecting what’s priceless.
- Dr Rand Low is Associate Professor of quantitative finance at Bond University.