From Pilot to Planet: Scaling United Nations’ Blockchain Projects for a Sustainable Future

Within the framework of the 2030 Agenda and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), science, technology and innovation play an even more central role. Building on this foundation, the primary objective of this paper is to explore the potential applications of blockchain in supporting the achievement of these sustainability goals. Starting from a review of the relevant literature on this topic, the main fields in which blockchain can contribute to sustainable development will be identified. The main blockchain applications will then be analyzed and categorized according to these SDGs. This research will then critically present the main blockchain-based projects that emerged in the first stage of the study and were implemented by the United Nations. The main objectives and benefits of each project will be analyzed. This is where the originality of this paper lies. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is one of the first attempts to present a comprehensive overview of the United Nations’ projects related to SDGs 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 13, and 16. This paper, which bridges the gap between innovation management and the sustainability field, will contribute to the increasingly current debate on sustainability issues and be beneficial to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike.