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One study suggests that bitcoins could produce enough carbon emissions to increase global temperatures by nearly 4 degrees by 2033.(Photo: Getty Images)

If the use of bitcoins continues to grow, it alone could produce enough carbon emissions to increase global temperatures by nearly 4 degrees F new study suggests.

"Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency requiring a lot of material," said Randi Rollins, a master's student at the University of Hawaii Manoa and co-author of the study. "This obviously translates into a significant demand for electricity."

Bitcoins and other similar, energy-consuming crypto-currencies are assets that exist only in digital form and are created and traded independently of banks or governments. New bitcoins are created or "extracted" by computers that solve complex mathematical problems.

Bitcoins are then stored in "digital wallets" – a type of virtual bank account but not resembling deposit insurance – from which they can be exploited to purchase items.

The transactions take place and are recorded in a large public book on computers around the world. You can buy coins on cryptocurrency "swaps". This whole process uses a lot of electricity.

In fact, last year the use of bitcoins produced 69 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, about the same as Austria's.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, carbon dioxide and methane are the main greenhouse gases that have caused global warming of the Earth's atmosphere to impossible levels. explain by natural causes.

The authors of the study found that if bitcoin is incorporated, even at the lowest rate at which other technologies have been incorporated, its emissions will be enough to warm the planet above 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees C). ) in just 22 years. If incorporated into the average rate of other technologies, Earth could reach that level in just 16 years.

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"Currently, emissions from transportation, housing and food are considered to be the major contributions to ongoing climate change," said Katie Taladay, also a student at the University of Hawaii-Manoa and co. -author of the document. we show that bitcoin should now be put in the list of additional concerns. "

However, according to Bloomberg News, these concerns could be exaggerated. Cryptocurrency is not yet widespread and bitcoin is hardly used in everyday life, said Bloomberg. According to Michael Wilshire of Bloomberg, it would be unfair to compare the potential adoption of bitcoin with previous mainstream technology.

Nevertheless, Camilo Mora, lead author of the study, said that "with the increasing ravages of climate change, humanity now understands that climate change is as real and personal as possible. It is clear that any further development of cryptocurrencies should focus on reducing electricity demand if the potentially devastating consequences of global warming are to be avoided at 3.6 ° F (2 ° C) ".

The study was published Monday in the British journal Nature Climate Change.

Contribute: Russ Wiles, The Republic of Arizona

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