Global News & Policy

By Kiran Bishop, Sidwell Friends School, and Kit Levy, Sidwell Friends School The recent rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum begs the question: “How environmentally friendly are cryptocurrencies really?” To understand their impact on the environment, one must first understand what a cryptocurrency is and the nuances between the different tokens and coins.   Cryptocurrencies are a form of payment that can be used online to buy goods or services. They are set by cryptography, which is the writing and solving of complex codes or algorithms.  This process allows cryptocurrencies to address the “double spending problem” --  the concern that the same crypto token could be used multiple times. To ensure that this reuse does not occur, cryptoc...

By Gwyn Field, Sidwell Friends School On April 22 and 23, the Biden Administration brought together 40 world leaders to discuss the climate crisis for the virtual 2021 Earth Day Summit. According to a press release on April 23 from the White House, President Biden convened the 17 Major Economies Forum (MEF), responsible for nearly 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and global GDP, who “were also joined by the leaders of countries that are especially vulnerable to climate impacts.”  Prior to the summit, the White House published a press release announcing the goals of the summit on climate change. These ambitions included “galvanizing efforts by the world’s major economies to reduce emissions during this critical decade to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree Celsius ...