Blockchain

Blockchain has many potential use cases in cities, but these applications are not yet widespread. Records management and community engagement are two core planning activities that can use blockchain, but many blockchain experts and urban planners are finding additional cases where blockchain could help improve planning practices, including transportation and governance.

For each blockchain application, there are risks and concerns: the economic viability of this technology is still underexplored, blockchain operations consume high levels of energy, it's unclear whether blockchain can be scaled in ways that suit community needs, and security risks are not completely known. Further uses of blockchain in planning are outlined in PAS QuickNotes 99, "Blockchain for Planners," and the 2022 Planning article "Your Guide to NFTs, Cryptocurrency, and the Blockchain."