**5.1 SDG 1: no poverty**

Access to credit and financial services (e.g., microfinance) is one of the most commonly known mechanisms to reduce poverty. For instance, crowdsourcing and crowdlending platforms can also ease financial inclusion. Blockchain can help to increase the efficiency, traceability, and transparency of these financial processes [27]. Moreover, micro-transactions and automatic funding through forecast-based financing [28] can be implemented jointly with smart contracts and big data analytics. Such models can provide more efficient funding, since no additional intermediaries are required and some procedures can be substantially simplified.

According to [29], 206.4 million people of 81 countries needed humanitarian assistance in 2018. For instance, only 6 of such countries represent 80.6 million people in need. Such a humanitarian assistance from governments and private donors reached US \$28.9 billion in 2018. Nevertheless, a substantial percentage of the assistance was and is today lost due to fraud and corruption. Blockchain can be applied to provide tracking of the funds and to reduce cyberattacks. The authors of [28] highlight the need for ethical guidelines (i.e., privacy, intentional design choices, and humanitarian principles) and a common evaluation

**Figure 1.**

*Blockchain4SDGs: main blockchain use cases for SDGs.*

*Leveraging Blockchain for Sustainability and Open Innovation: A Cyber-Resilient Approach… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92371*

framework of the solutions, especially as DLT developments are still in their early stages.

In 2017, the World Food Programme (WFP) [30] developed a proof of concept (PoC) in Sindh (Pakistan) named Building Blocks to evaluate blockchain for authentication and registration of transactions without financial intermediaries. Refugees have restrictions to open bank accounts and limited choices regarding the access and spending of their cash assistance. Building Blocks was also deployed with the aid of a biometric authentication system (i.e., iris scanning identification at checkout) in two refugee camps in Jordan to improve security and to ease cash transfers and the purchase of goods.

## **5.2 SDG 2: zero hunger**

**5. Leveraging blockchain toward SDGs**

summarized in **Figure 1**.

*Computer Security Threats*

**5.1 SDG 1: no poverty**

simplified.

**Figure 1.**

**104**

*Blockchain4SDGs: main blockchain use cases for SDGs.*

Currently there are few examples of academic research on the use of blockchain for SDGs. For instance, the authors of [16] review recent academic and commercial "blockchain for good" applications in supply chain, innovations in governance, sharing economy, and financial inclusion. This section provides some relevant use cases of blockchain-based applications toward each of the SDGs. Such use cases are

Access to credit and financial services (e.g., microfinance) is one of the most commonly known mechanisms to reduce poverty. For instance, crowdsourcing and crowdlending platforms can also ease financial inclusion. Blockchain can help to increase the efficiency, traceability, and transparency of these financial processes [27]. Moreover, micro-transactions and automatic funding through forecast-based financing [28] can be implemented jointly with smart contracts and big data analytics. Such models can provide more efficient funding, since no additional intermediaries are required and some procedures can be substantially

According to [29], 206.4 million people of 81 countries needed humanitarian assistance in 2018. For instance, only 6 of such countries represent 80.6 million people in need. Such a humanitarian assistance from governments and private donors reached US \$28.9 billion in 2018. Nevertheless, a substantial percentage of the assistance was and is today lost due to fraud and corruption. Blockchain can be applied to provide tracking of the funds and to reduce cyberattacks. The authors of [28] highlight the need for ethical guidelines (i.e., privacy, intentional design choices, and humanitarian principles) and a common evaluation

Sustainable food production systems along their life cycle can be guaranteed with the traceability properties of blockchain (e.g., avoid malpractice and guarantee food security).

## **5.3 SDG 3: good health and well-being**

In Yue et al. [31], the authors propose a decentralized solution that enables healthcare intelligence that allows patients to control their data without compromising privacy or security.

In addition, blockchain can be used for managing data more efficiently during public health diseases. For instance, with the current rapid spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a blockchain-based monitoring and traceability system can help to automatically identify unsafe areas by using geographic information and provide real-time information about patients (e.g., temperature, symptoms, and social distancing) for further analysis. As a result, it may keep communities from further infections and ensure (or even certify) that some locations (e.g., workplaces) are safe areas. For the implementation of such an application, cybersecurity and privacy (i.e., pseudo-anonymization) will be key issues for a successful deployment. Disease control may also depend on the ability of organizations (e.g., centers of disease control, state and local agencies, journalists, governments, hospitals, scientists) to collaborate in an effective and efficient manner. It must also be noted that richer countries are better prepared than poorer countries to identify a virus outbreak, to face infection with public health contingency plans, and to minimize the socioeconomical impact.

#### **5.4 SDG 4: quality education**

The authors of [32] have thoroughly reviewed the utilization of emerging technologies like blockchain, IoT, and fog and edge computing for improving education. Examples of applications include record verification [33], the management of digital copyright information [34], or the design and evaluation of novel learning approaches [35–37].

For instance, Sony Global Education [38] is an educational platform that uses Hyperledger Fabric to guarantee the authenticity of the student transcripts. Another commercial example is Learning Machine [39], a company that has created an open peer-to-peer infrastructure to issue digital records that can be easily shared and verified. The system is not only devoted to educational institutions: governments and companies can also issue blockchain-based records at scale, rooted in any blockchain they select.
