Cost of crypto: Report says US Bitcoin as dirty as 6 mn cars

The carbon footprint of the US bitcoin industry is rising at breakneck speed, a report from environmental groups found on Friday, now rivaling the emissions of 6 million cars each year.

The groups urged US states to consider bans on new mining operations to help protect the planet.

Emissions from the energy-hungry sector could undermine goals to tackle climate change, said Jeremy Fisher, an energy analyst with the non-profit Sierra Club and a co-author of the report.

“We’re at an inflection point,” he said. “We’re trying to rapidly decarbonise…Bitcoin mining has the potential to undo some of that progress.”