Can the role of Blockchain improve sustainability? The technology 4.0 challenges

In 2015, the 17 "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" were announced by the United Nations, providing a common framework with the aim of creating a more sustainable society. SDG 9 "building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation", underlines the role that innovation plays in supporting sustainable development. It is recognized that the expansion of technology has the potential to accelerate humanity's progress by promoting social and economic development. Among the 4.0 innovations, one of the most promising is undoubtedly the Blockchain, a digital accounting register of all transactions or events carried out between the parties, shared by the whole network, non-modifiable, low cost and with high efficiency and credibility. Its advantages are far-reaching and can play a very important role in defining and enabling sustainable production and consumption models, to affect multiple SDGs. For example, by reducing food waste and supporting sustainable production, ensuring that the various inputs have not been produced in circumstances of human exploitation, such as in the case of child labuor and / or low wages (SDG 12: responsible consumption and production). Or by tracing the use of the funds allocated to the various Countries, in order to eliminate cases of fraud or bad management of the aids (SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). A novel approach can be integrating Blockchain with other technologies, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), also thanks to software capable of carrying out LCA studies, such as "Simapro©", through which it is possible to model and analyse product life cycles. LCA is used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product or service. Its use, in combination with Blockchain technology, can help achieve operational excellence from the point of view of sustainability. The applications of Blockchain-based LCA represent an important leverage to reach some of SDGs, going to face those environmental, social, political and economic challenges that must necessarily be addressed. The object of this overview is the study of applications and frameworks through which to verify the sustainability of the Blockchain