45% of Britons would be in favor of banning Bitcoin to save the planet
According to a recent poll published by the British data analysis firm YouGov, 45% of Britons are in favor of banning cryptocurrencies in order to fight climate change.
Unsurprisingly, the survey shows a generational divide over the issue. While 63% of those over 65 support the ban, only 21% of Britons aged 18-34 agree.
More Conservative voters are in favor of the ban compared to Labor voters (55% and 44%, respectively).
British women are half as likely to be against the crypto ban as men, although gender differences are not so evident among those who support the crackdown.
A hot-button issue
While naysayers have been decrying Bitcoin’s energy consumption for years, the problem is becoming more acute over time as the network continues to grow. The main cryptocurrency now requires more energy than Argentina, fueling heated debates over the viability and usefulness of mining.
Even some of those who became rich because of Bitcoin are now critical of its environmental impact. As reported by U.Today, a German software engineer donated € 1 million in Bitcoin to the German Green Party, claiming it is harmful to the planet.
Yet, even Bitcoin critics agree that putting the clamps on crypto will not do much to avert the climate crisis. The aforementioned YouGov survey shows that only 26% of respondents believe the ban will be effective.
