Our world as it re-structures itself today, needs growing support mechanisms that grant empowerment in it's truest fulfillment with the freedom to own our purpose and drive it. Socio-economic instability continues distancing these innate and natural rights from being met collectively. But, every new spark of perception innovating, re-assures the bridging of these distances. Sourced in trusting this potential are the Sustainable Development Goals and technical advancements such as Blockchain.  Blockchain graced us with it's first appearance in 1991, when research scientists, Stuart Haber and W Scott Stornetta developed a computationally practical solution for time-stamping digital documents to avoid shuffling. The system worked through a cryptographically secured chain of blocks to store them. The following year, Merkle tree was incorporated into the system to make it more efficient by allowing several documents and collating them in one block. However, it wanted more. Hal Finney, a computer scientist and cryptographic activist brought a system called RPoW (Reusable proof-of-work) in 2004. The system worked by receiving a non-exchangeable Hashcash, an early step in the movement of cryptocurrencies.  In 2008, a decentralized peer-to-peer electronic cash system called Bitcoin was introduced by posting to a cryptography mailing list under the pseudonym of Satoshi Nakamoto. The double spending protection in Bitcoin was provided by a decentralized peer-to-peer protocol to track and verify the transactions. On 3rd January, 2009, Bitcoin came into existence as the first bitcoin block was mined by Satoshi Nakamoto with a reward of 50 bitcoins. The world’s first Bitcoin transaction took place on the 12th of January, 2009, Hal Finney was the first recipient of Bitcoin and he received 10 bitcoins from Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2013, Vitalik Buterin, a programmer and a co-founder of the Bitcoin Magazine said that Bitcoin needed a scripting language for building decentralized applications. He started developing a new blockchain-based distributed computing platform called Ethereum with a scripting functionality called smart contracts. Blockchain is now being applied more extensively to serve global challenges and the need for efficient incorporation of fundamental structures in the society that serve better towards a sustained inclusive development.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise called the Global Goals, were embraced by the United Nations Member States in 2015 with the inspiration to end destitution, secure the planet and guarantee every human a harmonious and thriving living by 2030.The 17 SDGs have been adopted with a common understanding that activity in one area will influence results in others, therefore a collective advancement of social, monetary and ecological maintainability can not be dismissed in measuring progress.The global development index is a clear indicator of inclusivity being the biggest challenge to sustained development, through the pledge to 'Leave No One Behind', nations have resolved to quick track progress for those uttermost behind first. The SDGs are intended to  bring the world to a few extraordinary 'zeros'- zero poverty, hunger, and biases against minority groups. Everybody is expected to arrive at these driven targets with a collaboration of innovation, skill and financial resources from the varied layers of distribution in society. When the SDGs came to surface for implementation in 2012, blockchain was in it's initial days of innovation, and few might have anticipated the direction and the capability of this technology for propelling these ambitious targets, but today we see blockchain innovation re-casting conventional ways of dealing with sustainable development and speeding up progress whenever deployed responsibly. Research on blockchain is swiftly progressing. Reasonable framings, and initial empirical studies in IS, have begun to move past the first thin thought of blockchain regarding its applications in the financial area solely, and have begun to explore possibilities in more extensive clusters.  Blockchain is empowering sustainability by upgrading transparency of supply chains, boosting circular economies, diminishing data asymmetry in resource management, amplifying results, improving calamity readiness, and supporting geospatial platforms.

Zero Hunger as Sustainable Development Goal-2, aims to ensure sufficient food to nurture all living on Planet Earth, specially those who because of their internal or external circumstances, are underprivileged and dependent on relief funds and support to sustain them in various ways. For this intent to turn into reality, efficient collaboration and mechanisms for balancing environmental, economic and social considerations throughout the food supply chain are necessary. Blockchain is a good participant in enabling this process by ensuring consistent and unaltered traceability from origin to destination. Moving deeper into source, Blockchain is simplifying and aggregating  efficiency of agricultural processes and integration, and also providing small farmers better opportunities for trade and commerce through improved market transparency. According to a report by Bhook (an organization working towards reducing hunger) in 2013, more than 20 crore Indians sleep hungry every night. The Government is all set to implement a mechanism which helps the surplus food reach the needy in an efficient manner.  The apex food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in association with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) Foundation, is all set to implement a technology platform for Food Donation in India. Initially, the network of 81 such organisations across India, known as the Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA) will be a part of this platform, which will be providing a 24-hour helpline service , an interactive application as well as a back-end website to connect donors with surplus food in search of end to end food distribution to needy people all across the country. According to Pawan Agarwal, CEO Of FSSAI, “This platform and its services would definitely help in reducing food wastage and hunger in the country with the help of Food Donation.” FSSAI is also working on setting up an identification system which will remove hazardous substances from the food supply chain so customers can count on reliability. The World Food Programme is a UN based agency that mainly focuses on hunger mitigation and food security. Globally, it is an organization that responds to ensuring the availability of food wherever it's needed, especially in the time of civil variance and natural disasters, it is responsible for one of the latest innovations that comes with the intellectual property of food security at a Global level. The World Food Programme (WFP) in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has introduced an innovative Iris scan payment system in Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp that allows 76,000 Syrian refugees to purchase food from their camp supermarkets using only a scan of their eyes instead of cash, vouchers or e-cards. WFP's 'Building Blocks' initiative is looking forward to integrating blockchain technology for wider distribution systems next.

The health and well-being of people at all ages lies at the heart of sustainability. Protection from various diseases is not only fundamental to survival,  but also empowers progress of nodal and global communities as a whole.  Globally, the spread of major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis has decreased, but they still remain a cause for concern. Immense progress has been made globally in finding treatments, vaccines, and technologies for health-care, but universal affordable access to healthcare is still lacking, and challenging global development, making the role and need for related integrative technical advancements even more prominent. A Health Information System (HIS) refers to a system which is particularly designed to manage healthcare data and ease the availability of healthcare services, including all relevant data from related activities of  providers and health organizations. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) are the two examples of HIS. Digital Health initiatives must be guided by a robust Strategy that involves financial, organizational and technological resource management delivery in every region. Within the availability of these technical advancements comes the relevant role of safeguarding human rights through the prevention of mal-treatment and nutrition, abuse, neglect and negative impact from unreasonable environmental conditions.  The integration between various stakeholders is rather complex in the health care system with physicians, patients, insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms and governments all coming together to assist healthy intervention and their benefits. Blockchain technology is becoming a trusted choice in simplifying the process.   Healthcare management systems are finding new ways to efficiency, and integrating Electronic Medical Records on Blockchain is yet another example of it. Medical Records include information about a patient's medical or treatment history, including procedures, diagnoses, medicines, tests, immunizations, allergies and both past and future treatment plans if required. Blockchain supports the management and accuracy of Electronic Health Record (EHRs). EMRs and EHRs are used interchangeably, unlike EHRs,  EMRs came along first as a digital version of paper data charts for clinical observations. EMRs contain medical and treatment history of the patients. However, EHRs generally focus on the health of a patient, going beyond the standard clinical data accounted in the provider’s office with a a broader view on a patient’s well being .  FHIRChain (Fast Health Interoperability Records + Blockchain), a blockchain-based application is using ethereum for sharing clinical data that focuses on healthcare record management. It also provides solutions for patients that meet requirements from the Office Of National Coordinator(ONC) . MedBlock helps maintain the address of blocks containing records of a patient grouped by a healthcare provider. Each patient inventory contains one reference to the corresponding record on the blockchain. BlocHIE is providing both off chain and on chain storage. Ancile is another EMR -blockchain integration providing privacy, security and support reliability. The use of blockchain technology in health insurance is ushering in freedom from intermediaries, and allowing health coverage benefits with collective integrity.  Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (PSC), is another area of healthcare where Blockchain  proposes to be more actively involved in the near future .

Blockchain technology has developed unique capabilities to support rapid response to natural disasters over the last few decades. These disasters have tremendous impact on the communities affected, requiring much time, energy and resources to rebuild. During these natural disasters, companies, relief agencies, and non-governmental organizations collaborate with the local, state and national governments to manage relief efforts. These stakeholders often face a wide range of challenges in coordinating efficiently and going through clearances, which lead to loss in terms of time and accountability. The introduction of blockchain mechanisms for rapid response to disaster management is resolving those challenges significantly. The key challenges faced by communities and organization during disaster relief efforts include lack of transparency and audit-ability, unorganized and clumsy registration process for volunteers, ambiguous coordination across welfare organizations and communities, difficult collection and distribution efforts leading to the duplication of efforts and waste,etc. Blockchain offers transparent accessibility through the network to see these challenges through by being able to substantiate information obtained from various sources regarding natural or anthropogenic hazards, gathering information from systems that work independently to achieve transparency, supporting registration of volunteers and securing rewards for them and other contributors, tracking the delivery of supplies such as vaccine, food and medicines and also providing services in this complex supply chain; overall, simplifying collaboration and coordination among all stakeholders involved in relief efforts. Relief and support efforts for the global pandemic at present can benefit from more applications of this technology.

The use of blockchain is expanding globally, one of its foremost examples is the launch of UNICEF Cryptocurrency Fund. UNICEF is the first International Organization to exchange value in the form of cryptocurrencies through blockchain without any intermediaries. Cryptocurrencies are accepted and distributed as donations through the UNICEF Cryptocurrency Fund. This initiative offers new opportunities to enhance resource sharing and other internal processes that are substantial to the success of UNICEF's global development schemes.  The UNICEF Cryptofund will accept donations to finance early-stage open-source technology benefiting children and youth. UNICEF USA, Australia, France, and New Zealand are four major UNICEF national committees which will be able to receive crypto donations. The funds will be further applied to specific UNICEF-supported projects set up to receive payments in this form without having to convert in euros or dollars. For example, GIGA initiative is a project aimed at improving internet connectivity in schools and this project is being carried out successfully through the UNICEF Cryptofund. UNICEF has been exploring more ways to enhance its programs in health, education and emergency relief through blockchain.  Many innovative drives are being sustained and initiated by UNICEF through blockchain for humanitarian work. One-third children in the world lack a legal identity today. This lack of legal identity can interfere with their ability to get enrolled in schools, also leaving them susceptible to illegal adoptions, child labor, and human trafficking. However, blockchain technology can grant them a secure identity, and also run social security checks over the number of individuals leaning to adopt children, make records of biological parents in a national system after the first case of reported abuse, controlling child abuse cases across the network effectively.  Blockchain can improve the investigation process for a missing child through the activation of Social Sensors to locate specific geographical areas where the missing child was seen last.  One can also use a mobile application to send the case information, which will act as potential evidence. The testimonial will further assist in detecting the identification and prevent it's vindictive use. All evidence submissions are recorded in a secure and incorruptible digital ledger on the blockchain. Thus, there is an assurance of trust in variability with the preservation of consistent reported information.  Blockcerts aims to provide quality education through standardizing issuing, viewing and verifying academic and professional certifications, workforce and professional credentials. The role of smart flexible technologies is ever growing with implements to see them through.

In 2018, the UN Women and UN office of information and Communication Technology (UN OICT) organized a four-day live simulation to explore cutting-edge solutions based on blockchain technologies that address various issues and challenges faced by women and girls in humanitarian settings, and offer more advanced identification and financial services to refugees. IDbox, a solar-powered blockchain-based device that can create a unique digital identity with a fingerprint and can run on 2G phones is providing countries that lack bank accounts or basic services with the option to use their IDbox to streamline financial inclusion, energy trading, access to health services, and even voting. Another innovation called SPENN by Blockbonds offers interactivity among the users for an income-generating opportunity in East Africa. If such innovations are used in all UN refugee camps, safety and management can be scored without using physical cash to further promote women's control over their funds. A safe place to save and store humanitarian cash transfers and remittances can prove a strategic move to cope with shocks and build resilience. Blockchain is helping women run their own businesses and creating a market for women vendors and consumers exclusively. Transparent transactions ensure that donors are always aware of what is happening with their donations, and enabling their reception by the most deserving. Most human trafficking and exploitation victims are left with little or no relief from their limiting conditions because they lack an identity, one that is consistent and can re-assure them of their security in the order and grants of society, this manipulation and control by offenders can be mitigated with digital secure identification. Oliver Mukuta highlighted the issue of fund inputs in African Nations. As majority of the families are headed by men, remittances for the sake of education were not used wisely. Even working women in these countries have to face the heat because they have money, and men want to take un-reasonable advantage of that. Oliver Mukuta With her team came up with a vision to lock up resources that can be used by women only by providing them secure identity grants. They developed Vipicash as a solution, now money can be sent to their aunt's family, or friends and locked in with a specific service, like school fees and groceries. Another benefit, Financial transactions are done without transaction fee, why should fee be charged for helping others?

The 17 SDGs are to be actioned by both developed and developing countries. The earlier target of reducing extreme poverty by the Millennium Development Goals fell short. The reason being that poverty is attached to other factors like equality, hunger, healthcare, hygiene, sanitation, climate change, etc.  The Third International Conference on Financing for Development, adopted Addis Ababa Action Agenda laying concrete policies to action in support of these goals serving as a compass for countries to align with global commitments. Resource mobilization and financial strategies are expected to be contributed to by all stakeholders such as the Government, civil societies, the private sector and others for the realisation of the new agenda.This global initiative wills to ultimately bring changes in the living standard of every country, and lead to a life of peace, security, and dignity. One of the biggest challenges being faced in this direction at present is owed to high-tech globalized capitalism, lack of stable and well-paid employment, especially for people without technical skills. Undoubtedly, technology has resulted in excluding many intermediate jobs, thus worsening inequality in the world but also increasing efficiency, production and growth at the same time. Blockchain has tried to cover for these contradictions to advancement by providing solutions towards UBI or GBI, global basic income through exploring DeFi protocols, and pre-distributed mechanisms as opposed to re-distributed and centrally designated ones for the purpose.  As per reports, the wealth that is currently owned by the rich is equal to the cumulative wealth of the rest 90% of the population in the US. The mechanisms at place obviously need to be restructured and given a collective voice through basic ownership within the system as a whole. Universal right to intellectual and capital goods must be considered to confront inequality. Blockchain ensures a collaborative economy and community ownership of practices.  Blockchain adoptions are growing and the scope is limited only if we want it to be. Estonia was the first country to surrender to the progressive potential of blockchain in all systems of governance, many have followed since, for instance,'Digital Identity against Poverty' program started by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Thailand, it was initiated in 2019, as a digital identification platform using blockchain-based time stamping for authentication. The Federal Tax Service of (FTS) of the Russian Federation launched a blockchain platform 'MasterChain', in 2020 to issue interest free loans to small SMEs.  These far-reaching, people-centered goals and targets are being met by solutions that could not be predicted, but are appearing as embodiments of the probabilities of potential.

Environmental degradation triggers ill-health, depletion of natural resources and an increase in natural disasters, all contributing to poor quality of life and security. Climate change has become a common topic of discussion over the past few years, owing more to the direct consequences of negligence that are appearing rapid and consistent in expressing an imbalance that is seeking solutions towards sustainability. Our natural environment has always taught us the art of improvisation, the most sustainable communities in the world have learnt to understand and respect healthy collaborations as off shoots of bio-diverse inter-dependability. So, it is no surprise that blockchain technology is now taking center stage in the green technical arena, merging variable inter-dependability with reliable consistency. "With blockchain, we can clean more water and create an opportunity for anyone in the world to build their own portfolio of projects for a share of the profits. We won't have to ask for permission; we will chose the best projects using the power of "people investing". Waterchain.  Waterchain is funding projects around the world, the sensors enable instant payments to the participants, and a continuous stream of income for Waterchain. The Cryptocoin in partnership with Cleanwater project is empowering communities through participation in projects that are organised, owned and managed by these communities themselves. Blockchain-enabled shared exchanging of water assets; decentralised, catchment-quality control, cost-effective resource transactions, clean and consistent information for all stakeholders across the network without any locational or intermedial boundaries or limitations, add to the advantages. Blockchain provides transparency across the supply-demand chain, creating more awareness in making informed choices and allowing more dependable and inclusive collaborations. Quality audits have made standardisation more productive, standardisation is done with regards to technology, climate clusters/families, climate action activities and data methodologies for transforming data valuation in incorporating and assigning to appropriate bodies within the network.  Eco-friendly products and services are applying the technology for carbon neutral consensus and verification and supply chain accounting to measure how green and ecological a product is.  New financial ecosystems for exchanging clean energy and monitoring carbon emissions are becoming more active as an alternative to long enactments and delayed implementation. Kultur-Token is a governmentally owned app with the primary goal to incentivize citizens in Vienna towards using eco-friendly commuting options such as cycling, walking and taking public transport, and rewarding them them with virtual tokens that they can exchange for tickets to renowned cultural institutions. The KT app uses motion tracking to calculate personal CO2 balance. Kultr uses Proof of Authority technology (PoA), a more energy efficient alternative to Proof of Work (PoW). Climate ledger Initiative (CLI) is a Zurich-based platform initiated to test the potential of blockchain for implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. DAO IPCI platform initiated by the Russian Carbon Foundation in 2017, introduced 'Blockchain Climate Standard' for issuance and verification of carbon units. DAO is creating an eco-system for carbon market compliance and environmental assets. Low Carbon Tea Project in Kenya, uses blockchain's traceability and transparency to promote trust between consumers and retailers, the tea is regarded as 'carbon sink', and can give producers access to carbon markets, providing economic incentives for small scale tea producers.  Green Assets Wallet and Climate Tokens provide consumer disclosure, carbon neutrality, standards assessment and certifications for renewable technology, accountability and co-ordination with various stakeholders to ensure all efforts are met and rewarded in an integrated global network. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, in partnership with Biodiversity Solutions Australia is creating an alternate source of income for landowners by providing them bioTokens for preserving biodiversity on land and the marine environment. Wildlife Credits is scheme intiated by the Nambian community-based natural resource mangement (CBNRM), they offer direct payments for wildlife sightings on their territory, and for keeping the habitat well. The system keeps interference owed to corruption out of the payments and ecosystem services, benefiting community development through ecological preservation.

Blockchain as a technology has found it's genius in supporting the heart of humanity by not dismissing the social implications of change, and instead harnessing limitations towards positive impact through a commitment to explore applications of self.