How Crypto is Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future

In a recent conversation, we had the privilege of sitting down with Matthew Smithies, Chief Technical Officer at Dovu, and Alan Ransil, CEO of Devonian Systems. Their work at the intersection of blockchain technology and sustainability is not only inspiring but is actively driving real-world change. This interview highlights how blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) can revolutionize sustainability efforts and carbon credits, a mission that all of us can get behind.

Let’s dive into the conversation and explore how these industry leaders are using blockchain for a more eco-friendly future.

Blockchain and Sustainability: The Starting Point

Allin: “Matthew, can you explain what Dovu is and how it contributes to a sustainable future?”

Matt Smithies: “In short, Dovu aims to simplify digital sustainability. We focus on the entire lifecycle of a carbon credit or ecological credit—from project development to verification and marketplace sale. Our goal is to make this process simple and accessible for every actor involved.”

Allin: “Alan, could you shed some light on what your role is in all this, especially at Devonian Systems?”

Alan Ransil: “My co-founder and I were at Protocol Labs, where we spent years thinking about how Web3 infrastructure can support sustainability. We started Filecoin Green to connect the Filecoin network to renewable energy. Recently, we launched Devonian Systems, which is building cherty a decentralized science operating system to facilitate sustainability projects. It’s like an ‘operating system for global science,’ enabling data traceability from scientific research to practical implementation.”

Tackling the Complexities of Carbon Credits

Allin: “The carbon credit market is already massive, potentially heading into the trillions. What motivated you to focus on sustainability and carbon credits, and how do your platforms aim to make a difference?”

Matt : “Initially, we aimed to nudge consumer behavior toward more eco-friendly choices. Over time, we pivoted into the carbon credit market, realizing the lack of traceability and data encapsulation in existing platforms. We now focus on providing a transparent, traceable system for creating and managing carbon credits.”

Alan: “The carbon credit market plays a significant role in allocating capital toward sustainability. However, the market is rife with issues like lack of scientific credibility and financial opacity. We use blockchain tools to trace the impact of credits back to raw data, ensuring they genuinely contribute to reducing carbon footprints.”

Bringing Blockchain and Science Together

Allin: “What are the technological aspects behind your platforms? How do distributed ledgers fit into the sustainability market?”

Alan: “cherty is chain-agnostic. We’re built on IPFS and store data in Filecoin, but you can link it to any blockchain. We use content addressing, which is a universal coordinate system for knowledge and data. This system allows us to trace data back to its origins, providing the transparency and trust needed for scientific credibility in impact markets.”

Matt : “Dovu leverages Hedera Hashgraph and integrates with the Guardian Ecosystem to digitize the entire lifecycle of carbon credits. This includes decentralized identity verification and full provenance tracking. Our system simplifies the onboarding process for new project developers, providing an end-to-end traceable solution.”

The Real Impact: Projects and Success Stories

Allin: “Can you share some practical examples of how your platforms have been utilized?”

Alan: “We supported a team in the biodiversity competition, which aimed to measure rainforest biodiversity using drones, camera traps, and environmental DNA sampling. We managed data provenance and built models to support the verification of biodiversity without entering the forest, showcasing how Web3 tools can enable large-scale impact.”

Matt : “One notable project is with an Indian company, focusing on end-of-life vehicle recycling credits. India has a vast recycling need, and we provide a blockchain backbone to ensure proper recycling processes are followed. This project incentivizes recycling centers to act ethically while aligning with government initiatives.”

Future Outlook: Where Is This Going?

Allin: “Where do you envision your platforms in the future? What are you aiming to achieve?”

Alan: “Devonian’s cherty aims to be the go-to infrastructure for managing data for global scientific research and implementation. We believe that content addressing creating a universal coordinate system for data will accelerate scientific discovery and practical application, particularly in sustainability.”

Matt : “For Dovu, our focus is on building interoperable workflows that connect different sustainability projects. There are now hundreds of projects on various networks, and our goal is to streamline these efforts into a cohesive, standardized system that fosters collaboration and traceability.”

How You Can Get Involved

Allin: “Finally, where can our audience go to get involved in what you’re doing?”

Alan: “Visit cherty.io to learn more. You can download our tools and sign up for our newsletter to stay updated. If you’re in Thailand for DevCon, be sure to check out the Earth Commons and Funding the Commons conferences.”

Matt : “Head to Dovu.market to explore our platform. You can become a supplier and contribute to the carbon credits market. We also have a unique staking system that rewards community members who buy credits, providing real value back to those making a difference.”

Full video Interview

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