[ozy]

This might be a good thing. There are a few responses possible:

1. Do nothing, public gets angry.

2. Make bitcoin, or its mining, illegal. However, what is the criteria? All blockchains? Should google be illegal too? Both are just a digital product that the public wants.

3. Tax CO2 production by data centers, that might have a chance it can be coordinated broadly between nations, there is enough money there to tax, and bitcoin adds some urgency.

While doubtful CO2 can be taxed globally, without coordination, big companies play governments against each other.

[kevingadd]

"Should google be illegal too?" is a pretty ridiculous extrapolation. Nobody would go that far, a regulation like that doesn't achieve any climate goals and would have massive economic impact. You can probably provide an example that isn't wholly implausible like online banking? Even then, it is possible to draw a line.

[totony]

Who draws that line? Corrupt politicians? Million dollar lobbying? Lines are smokescreen in front of the real problem. They mostly serve to protect the establishment. Ok, no more bitcoin, but what about the heavily subsidized dairy industry, the oil industry, and all the other that pollute heavily?

If a solution requires a "line" or makes no sense at the extreme, it's most likely not a solution.