UNICEF: Filiology + Greenwashing to Just transitions: TEK & TECH

Photo:Le Monde 2017 Avr Lors d’une manifestation, en février 2014 à Niamey, au Niger. BOUREIMA HAMA/AFP

from greenwashing to just transitions

Bridging the gap between traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and TECH eco-innovations in renewable energy company CSR projects

Research Project February - June 2023

PROBLEM: Tradeoffs between social injustices for economic development, especially in energy transitions, are repeatedly made . This has become a global phenomenon as we continue to overlook the integration of TEK, despite their emerging discourses that may acknowledge its importance at global and national levels. This is a form of greenwashing.

Introduction

https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate/climate-change-impacts

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can the Two-eyed approach of integrating TEK & TECH address discourse gaps between multiple stakeholders in the spectrum of greenwashing and just transitions?

Introduction

01. INTRO

why is this question important?

• Eco-Innovation & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) impact:
• may seek competitive edge, while addressing the pressure coming from the public and governments to transition to renewable energy and lessen carbon emissions through eco-innovation. (Idemudia, 2011; Mahoney et al., 2013; Garcia-Rodriguez et al., 2013)
• energy companies, in particular, can have large impact of environment & economies across borders (Garcia-Rodriguez et al., 2013)

• The need for discourse analysis in transformative just transitions:
• previous research, such as Tamayo-Orbegozo et al. (2017) or Espécie et al. (2019), on eco innovations did not have the technology to quantify discourses and recommended that future research focus on this at varying scales and geographies.
• technologies for renewable energy are not the only technologies needed. (Garcia-Rodriguez, et al., 2013)
• discourse analysis techniques are needed to facilitate, monitor, and evaluate inclusivity of implementing eco-innovation tech - a key aspect of just transitions.... otherwise there may be a risk of greenwashing

Introduction

https://www.placeco.fr/gironde/demain/article/vitisolar-edf-va-tester-a-bordeaux-le-photovoltaique-au-dessus-des-vignes-1435

01. INTRO

why is this question important?

• Injustices that remain obscured and unmeasured has historically lead to:
• loss of identity and culture
• poverty
• forced migration
• genocide

(Ambler, 1990; Tsosie, 1996; Brazillier & Vauday, 2009; Walker, 2012; Camacho et al., 2012; Evans & Phelan, 2016; Sovacool et al. 2017; Hurlbert & Rayner, 2018; Williams & Doyon, 2019, Mahoney et al., 2013; Gatti et al., 2019; Carothers et al., 2021; Olaopa & Ayodele, 2022, Smith et al., 2023)

• This research serves two purposes:
• illuminate the discourse gaps between stakeholders in renewable energy company CSR projects amongst Indigenous communities , in Angola, France, and the Philippines
• experiment with digital discourse technology as a future tool to create a multilocus value map for identifying influencing factors for transformative just transitions in eco-innovation CSR projects.

https://www.unesco.org/en/indigenous-peoples

Introduction

MORE THAN A PRINCIPLE, JUST TRANSITIONS IS A MULTIFACETED EXERCISE:“For complex problems such as energy transition, building the capacity for collective action has to be a multifaceted exercise, engaging both knowledge and politics. It should be multidisciplinary in the best sense, drawing on history, moral philosophy, political theory, and social studies of science and technology, in addition to the basic and applied sciences as conventionally understood. The reason is not simply to aggregate facts from many sources but rather to allow divergent positions and viewpoints to illuminate each other’s limitations.”

Jasanoff, S. (2018). Just transitions: A humble approach to global energy futures. Energy Research & Social Science, 35, 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2017.11.025

Literature Review

03. TEK & TECH

the need for tek recognition in just energy transitions/eco-innovations

“remedying historic energy injustice demands new ways of recognizing the vulnerability of misrepresented and under-represented people” (Hulbert & Rayner, 2018)

Indigenous communities need recognition justice of TEK in special consideration of historical injustices and asymmetries of power that perpetuate vulnerability in energy transitions. (Evans & Phelan, 2016; Williams & Doyon, 2019)

“different facilitation techniques that encourage marginalised communities to participate in a meaningful way...” (Williams & Doyon, 2019)

"energy justice would entail using different modes of governance, and integrating different forms of knowledge (Sovacool, 2017)

Literature Review

06. two-eyed ANALYSIS

quantitative text-sna

qualitative swot analysis

identify trends in multi-stakeholder discourses in eco-innovation (Tamayo-Orbegozo et al., 2017) at each scale, as well as discourses relating to greenwashing and just transition using online self-produced literature (Espécie et al., 2019 - text-SNA literature review on ES). Identification of financial indicators of greenwashing & just transitions (Brazillier & Vauday, 2009)

assess framing, vulnerability, distribution, and learning capabilities of the stakeholders (Jasanoff, 2018 - “technologies of humility”) the insitutional approach to an enterprise where the enterprise needs to be sustained by its stakeholders (Moore, & Rebéberioux, 2011)

the environment as a primary stakeholder - the institution to sustainin just transition eco-innovation swot analysis & greenwashing assessment

Methodology

08. baseline discourses - data

Global Text-SNA Graph

Baseline keywords: "corporate social responsibility" |"ecological innovation" | "traditional ecological knowledge" | "renewable energy" | "just transition" |greenwashing| “indigenous people” (any language) Global: Baseline National: Baseline + Angola | France | Philippines Regional: Baseline + country + mangroves | reforestation | agrovoltaism Local: Baseline + country + project type + Luanda | Pays Basque | Rizal

Empirical Data & Findings

09. totalenergies, Action! - background

totalenergies action! program

TotalEnergies employees can dedicate three working days in the year to the public interest projects of the Action! Program of TotalEnergies Foundation: 62,000 employees, 102 countries of deployment, completed 8,150 initiatives as of 2021.

• CSR Project: Mangrove restoration project in Luanda, Angola
• Purpose: Restore biodiversity, limit coastal erosion and mitigate the impact of climate events by offsetting the company’s carbon footprint as a CCS (carbon capture and storage) strategy.
• Local partner: Otchiva (founded in 2016), who has made it possible to plant more than 300,000 mangrove seeds across 600 hectares.
• Conflict of Interest: One conflicting concern with this project is that 150km from Luanda, is a new offshore development, which will include “electrical generation from a combined cycle turbine and a zero flaring concept, allowing a lower carbon intensity”

Source: TotalEnergies & TotalEnergies Foundation websites

Empirical Data & Findings

indigenous population

The Mbundu are concentrated around Angola's capital, Luanda, and the north-central provinces. While some Mbundu still speak kiMbundu, many among this minority speak Portuguese as a first language. (Source: UN Refugee Agency)

Global Text-SNA Graph

09. totalenergies, Action! discourses - data

Baseline keywords: "corporate social responsibility" |"ecological innovation" | "traditional ecological knowledge" | "renewable energy" | "just transition" |greenwashing| “indigenous people” (any language) Global: Baseline National: Baseline + Angola Regional: Baseline + country + mangroves Local: Baseline + country + project type + Luanda Languages: English, Portuguese

Empirical Data & Findings

swot

09. totalenergies, Action! discourses - findings

Severe lack of discourse starting at the national level for P, K, TEK. TEK does not occur at all. The discourses on greenwashing and just transition are far less than the baseline discourses. Because of the lack of other stakeholder discourses surrounding the CSR project of TotalEnergies, the local communities of Luanda are extremely vulnerable to injustices and also less capable in pursuing just transitions. Social discourses at the local level: more about the potential for renewable energy to create more jobs and accelerate economic development of the region than the need for just transition or the occurrence of greenwashing. Opportunities: collaborative innovations given there is discourse about Indigenous alliance in Luanda, the capital of Angola with the highest concentration of the Mbundu Indigenous peoples.

Empirical Data & Findings

09. totalenergies, Action! discourses - findings

GREENWASHING to just transitions

The vagueness of their financial statements with no specific funds or groups dedicated to just transitions indicates that there may be ad light greenwashing (Brazillier & Vauday, 2009). There is a strong ability to finance communications, which could generate greater Industry discourses that overshadow the discourses of other stakeholders. Given that there is a lack of stakeholder discourses on greenwashing and just transitions, there is less pressure for I to provide detailed information. Consistent with Gatti et al. (2019), mandatory and non-mandatory information policies in Luanda with participatory design of all CSR stakeholders could help shift the threat of greenwashing toward more just transitions.

FINANCIALS: TotalEnergies’ 2022 Universal Registration Document

• Expenditures for the Action! Program in Luanda - not specified
• CSR Expenditure: 27-73 million euros spent (2020 to 2022) = 0.3% - 0.4% of TotalEnergies’ net income (Exception of 2020: enterprise incurred net losses during the pandemic, but continued to spend 46 million euros on CSR through its foundation.
• TotalEnergies’ other investments (e.g. production, exploration, marketing): 632-19,802M

Empirical Data & Findings

09. EDF, VITISOLAR - background

edf vitisolar pilot program

• CSR Project: Agrovoltaism pilot project in Bordeaux, France with implications for Pays Basque area just south of this area
• Purpose: Test the coexistence of the production and storage of solar power with the production and protection of wine from the increasing temperatures of climate change (5 year project starting from Feb 2022).
• Local partner: EDF’s R&D Department and its Renewables subsidiary partnered with Ampex (ArcelorMittal Exosun), INRAE ​​(National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment ), the University of Bordeaux, the Chamber of Agriculture of the Gironde as well as the Regional Federation of CUMA (Cooperative for the Common Use of Agricultural Equipment)
• Conflict of Interest: EDF recently signed an agreement to install a solar power plant in the Port of Bordeaux to address the energy crisis and transition to renewable energy. Pay Basque is a service area of EDF that experienced energy cuts in the same year that this pilot project started. It is also a wine-producing area.

Source: EDF website, Guide du Pays Basque, FranceBleu, La Tribune (Objectif Aquitaine)

Empirical Data & Findings

indigenous population

There are around 2.2 million people living in the Basque Country, of whom around 896,000 people are fluent Basque speakers: there are also additional Basque speakers in Navarre, where around a tenth of the population speak the language, as well as in border regions of France. (Source: UN Refugee Agency)

Global Text-SNA Graph

09. EDF, VITISOLAR discourses - data

Baseline keywords: "corporate social responsibility" |"ecological innovation" | "traditional ecological knowledge" | "renewable energy" | "just transition" |greenwashing| “indigenous people” (any language) Global: Baseline National: Baseline + France Regional: Baseline + country + agrovoltaism Local: Baseline + country + project type + Pays Basque Languages: English, French, Basque (Local only)

Empirical Data & Findings

swot

09. EDF, VITISOLAR - Findings

Academia and Policy discourses are greater at regional and local levels, which would imply that the communities of Pays Basque would have a greater capability to pursue just transitions through the policy and education mechanisms. However, due to lack of TEK discourses, such mechanisms run the risk of bias and exclusion if the TEK of the Basque people, particularly the farming community, are not considered in the design and implementation of future agrovoltaism projects and policies. French policy on renewable energy acceleration may have ad light greenwashing international implications. Tight policies in France could possibly encourage French companies to outsource non-renewables to other countries, such as Angola, as well as execute CSR projects that would appear to make the companies look environmentally friendly, without the pressure of local policy in the host country to provide mandatory information on just transitions. Opportunity: researching and testing collaborative tools to incorporate the participation of Industrial unions, such as Agriculteurs Responsables, located in Pays Basque.

Empirical Data & Findings

09. EDF, VITISOLAR - Findings

GREENWASHING to just transitions

EDF has the capability to provide proof of impact by showing that they invest in CSR activities and pursue external certifications. Unclear specifically how much is spent on Vitisolar and for what, given that the project is booked together under “Other Intangible Assets”. While this line item appears to be greater than the enterprises net income and allocates specific funds to environmental and energy transitions, there is nothing specifically assigned to just transitions or funds allocated toward people affected by the energy transitions. This indicates that there may be ad light greenwashing, not in the energy transition itself, but in the just transitions associated with it.

FINANCIALS: EDF's Annual Reports 2020-2022

• Vitisolar is not mentioned anywhere in their financial statements.
• News articles state that EDF’s Agrovoltaism project falls under their R&D department, booked as “Other Intangible Assets” - “for the protection of the environment and climate” and “regulatory mechanisms related to greenhouse gas emissions rights.”
• Other Intangible Assets: 128,074M (2022), 126,284M (2021), 119,306M (2020).

Empirical Data & Findings

09. One Merlaco, one for trees - background

one meralco, one for trees program

Meralco is the largest private sector electric distribution utility company in the Philippines covering an area of approximately 9,685 sq km, 3% of the total land area of the Philippines, but accounting for 55% of the country’s electricity output for 7.6 million consumers.

• CSR Project: Reforesation project in Baras, Rizal. There are also other locations throughout the Philippines.
• Purpose: Nurture and protect 5 million trees (throughout the Philippines) by 2025, while providing sustainable livelihood around the conservation sites, ensure an 80% survival rate, and educate and mobilize advocates to protect the environment.
• Local partner: PH Renewables and MGen (subsidiaries of Meralco)
• Conflict of Interest: The CSR project was launched in November 2022, shortly after securing a loan in Sept 2022 with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation for Php2.7 billion for their solar project in the area..

Source: Meralco website, Meralco PowerGen website, Business World Online

Empirical Data & Findings

indigenous population

The country’s Indigenous population thus continues to be estimated at between 10% and 20% of the national population of 100,981,437, based on the 2015 population census. Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines have retained much of their traditional, pre-colonial culture, social institutions and livelihood practices. (Source: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs)

Global Text-SNA Graph

09. One Merlaco, one for trees discourses - data

Baseline keywords: "corporate social responsibility" |"ecological innovation" | "traditional ecological knowledge" | "renewable energy" | "just transition" |greenwashing| “indigenous people” (any language) Global: Baseline National: Baseline + Philippines Regional: Baseline + country + reforestation Local: Baseline + country + project type + RIzal Languages: English, Tagalog

Empirical Data & Findings

09. One Merlaco, one for trees discourses - findings

swot

High occurrence of Industry and Social discourses on corporate social responsibility at national and local levels imply that the country and the region of Rizal are focused on CSR as a vehicle for development given that the country is poor. This is evidenced by the 260 page list of private social welfare and development agencies that the government issued in 2021, of which One Meralco is listed in. Opportunity: One Meralco's capacity to work across stakeholder groups and in alignment with government and indigenous communities could be a model for just transitions. TEK discourses are not evident, but Indigenous concepts such as eco education (Academia discourse), Climate nurturing (Policy discourse) and social energy (Social discourse) reflect the values of the Indigenous population that may be interlaced within the various stakeholder groups in the Philippines given that the country has an Indigenous population of 20%.

Empirical Data & Findings

GREENWASHING to just transitions

09. One Merlaco, one for trees discourses - findings

CSR investment appears to be prioritised with an allocation of 28-35% of the foundation's marketing and communications budgets. Within that CSR budget are programs dedicated to inclusive policies and practices through different projects like One For Trees. It is unclear if One for Trees falls within one of the projects or if it is a vehicle for all projects. Overall marketing budget is a mere 1-1.6% of net income. In 2020, the foundation spent more on its CSR projects than its foundation’s revenue, possibly to assist communities during the Pandemic crisis. Lack of certifications: may not necessarily contribute to Meralco’s tendency to greenwash, but may leave it susceptible to accusations of greenwashing. Lack of discourses of S, P, and K on greenwashing and just transitions may contribute to the vulnerability of the CSR project communities to greenwashing.

FINANCIALS: Meralco & One Meralco 2019-2021 Annual Reports

• No specific line items for the One for Trees project

• Project costs were 60.9% (2021), 105.8% (2020), and 59.7% (2019) of annual revenues.
• Marketing and communications for both foundation and main enterprise were 1% to 1.6% of annual revenues.
• Total project costs compared to main enterprise marketing expenses: 34.7% (2021), 35.1% (2020), 28.1% (2019).

Empirical Data & Findings

WORK WITH INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURS

ECOSYSTEM

ECOLOGICAL & CULTURE-CENTRIC PHASED APPROACH TO SCALING UP