This special edition of Untangling Web3 features the first-ever live recording of the show, held in London and focused on the theme of Web3 for Social Good.

Guest panelists Sunny Lu (CEO of VeChain) and Pankhuri Bansal (blockchain and AI expert with the UN and LTO Network) explore how decentralized technologies are driving impact in sustainability, social inclusion, and environmental action.

Key highlights:

• Decentralization as a Tool for Inclusion Over 1.4 billion people remain unbanked globally, lacking access to basic financial services. Blockchain enables alternative financial systems through tokenized microloans and digitally verifiable identities. In regions like sub-Saharan Africa, tokenized lending models provide farmers with access to capital without the need for a formal bank account, unlocking economic participation for underserved communities.
• Green Incentives and Behavioral Change Micro-incentivization using blockchain tokens can change everyday behaviors at scale. Sustainability schemes—from plastic bottle deposit programs to plastic bag levies—prove that small financial nudges lead to measurable behavioral shifts. Web3 enables these incentives to be recorded transparently, scaled globally, and linked to real-world actions through smart contracts and on-chain proof systems.
• Tokenomics and the Future of ESG Crypto incentives create an auditable and efficient system for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) accountability. When individuals are rewarded for using recycled materials or companies track and tokenize their sustainability impact, ESG becomes measurable, verifiable, and incentivized. Applications like VeBetterDAO are building ecosystems where users earn rewards for provable social good actions—from recycling to reducing emissions.

Web3 offers an unprecedented opportunity to coordinate global action at the individual level. From plastic waste collection to climate data verification, blockchain enables transparent and trustless systems that reward citizens for doing good.

Rather than relying solely on governments or institutions, Web3 empowers individuals to contribute directly to sustainable outcomes—and be compensated in the process. As regulatory clarity emerges and enterprise interest grows, the alignment of social impact and tokenized value creation will become a powerful force for green transformation.

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This episode is sponsored by the VeChain foundation. Learn more about VeBetterDAO here:

https://vebetterdao.org/

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Learn more about Web3 at:

https://untanglingweb3.com/

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Untangling Web3 is brought to you by hosts Jack Davies and Alec Burns, with music by Daniel Paigge. Got a question or topic suggestion? Send us an email at [email protected].

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The views we express here are our own, and do not represent the views of our employers. Nothing discussed or stated in the show should be considered advice.