Almost everything we consume or invest in today comes with a promise: carbon neutrality, inclusion, positive impact. But, who ensures that these promises are real?
Does a carbon credit really represent one ton reduced? Does a green bond actually deliver on the environmental impact it promised?
These issues were at the center of the reflection I took to Blockchain in Rio 2025, one of the largest cryptocurrency economy events in Latin America, held on August 6 and 7. The message was clear: the sustainable market only advances with reliable data, and blockchain can be the basis of this trust.
The climate emergency has turned into an economic risk.
The Doomsday Clock, created by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists to figuratively show how close we are to a global catastrophe, was adjusted in 2025 to 89 seconds before midnight: the shortest interval in history. One of the main factors? Climate change.
Extreme events are already causing hundreds of billions in annual economic losses, according to the UN and Gallagher Re. Floods in Brazil, hurricanes in Mexico, agricultural collapses, and energy crises: environmental instability is already treated as a systemic risk to the global economy.
But, beyond being a threat, this can mean one of the greatest opportunities of this generation: to use technology, data, and capital to finance a new economic logic based on measurable impact.
Green capital is already in motion
The International Energy Agency projects that $5.8 trillion per year will be needed until 2030 to finance the energy transition. And the market is reacting:
More than $4 trillion in sustainable bonds have already been issued;
Green bonds totaled $575 billion just in 2023;
The voluntary carbon market could reach $100 billion by 2030 (BCG);
Funds with ESG mandates are expected to reach $40 trillion in assets under management by 2028.
And the most relevant: this is not philanthropy. It is financial intelligence. Studies show that companies with good ESG practices raise capital faster, have a lower cost of capital, and greater resilience (Bloomberg, McKinsey).
And financial institutions have already realized this. Several banks and funds have structured lines of credit, financial products, and bond issuances linked to ESG goals, offering differentiated conditions, such as reduced interest rates, for companies that prove concrete actions, such as:
Greenhouse gas emissions inventory;
Diversity and inclusion policies;
Use of renewable sources.
In other words, environmental and social compliance has ceased to be a regulatory obligation and has become a real criterion for access to capital.
The problem: trust in the data still does not exist
According to an OECD report, 68% of the ESG metrics used today are qualitative and only 17% are quantitative. Furthermore, less than 5% have robust verification. This scenario opens the door to greenwashing and brings real risks. This is what happened with DWS (linked to Deutsche Bank), for example, fined millions of euros for inflating ESG data without proof. This shows us that, without reliable data structure, ESG becomes marketing: and not a financial asset.
What is missing? Auditable data and a common language
For sustainable finance to actually work, it is necessary:
Auditable data;
Interoperability between systems;
Clear taxonomies of what is 'green', 'social', or 'transition'.
Therefore, frameworks like IFRS S1 and S2, PCAF, and GHG Protocol are gaining traction.
And also for this reason, guides like ANBIMA's for sustainable bonds have begun to require independent verification. But none of these initiatives can stand without technological infrastructure.
Blockchain: the invisible layer of trust
We believe that blockchain offers what is missing: traceability, immutability, and auditability. With blockchain, (i) ESG data stops being PDFs and becomes auditable assets; (ii) sustainability reports can be anchored with digital security; and (iii) investors, banks, and regulators can have transparent access to real-time information. ESG data begins to generate financial value, not just reputational.
The challenge and the response
Despite this, 80% of companies still report ESG manually (Deloitte). Many spend over $1 million per year on reporting (EY). And those who do not prove their ESG data pay up to 20% more to raise capital, or are simply excluded. It was against this backdrop that Allia was born:
a platform to structure auditable and accessible ESG data, with guaranteed traceability, including via blockchain.
Historic opportunity: Brazil and COP 30
Brazil has all the ingredients to lead this agenda:
A cleaner energy matrix than the global average;
Socioenvironmental wealth;
A sophisticated financial market.
But none of this is useful without reliable data infrastructure. COP 30 in Belém will be the definitive showcase: it is not enough to promise. It is time to prove impact.
Conclusion
Without data, there is no sustainability.
Without trust, there is no market.
And blockchain is the bridge between the two.
The next decade will be shaped by those who measure, prove, and deliver: not by those who promise.
And this future starts now.
The article Blockchain and Sustainability: What Ensures Trust in Green Assets? was first seen on BeInCrypto Brazil.