DO GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT GREEN WASHING? ACTING AS A GLOBAL PARTNER IN THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS

Year 2023, Volume: 41 Issue: Tarım Özel Sayısı, 23 - 50, 31.07.2023

Murat Çetin , Deniz Çelik , Seyran Duman

https://doi.org/10.17065/huniibf.1249730

Abstract

The climate crisis constitutes the first main agenda of the world with two important consequences that have become the 'new normal': extreme weather events that surround the whole world and pandemics. All micro/macro and national/international institutions and organizations have significant duties in preventing and reversing the crisis. However, while these tasks place a heavier burden on individuals and underdeveloped countries with the least share in the crisis, the production sector, which is at the root of the problem and turns the wheels of the linear economy, evades this responsibility. Moreover, companies that are forced to transition to a circular economy within the framework of the 'Green Deal' due to the climate crisis not only evade legal responsibility by resorting to 'greenwashing', but also manage to turn this situation into profit by appearing 'environmentalist' with a counterattack. Hence, the effectiveness of international organizations such as the EU and the UN is becoming more important in preventing the climate crisis. However, considering the half-century-long process of transformation to an environmentally sustainable economy from the 1970s to the present and the progress made, the effectiveness of these most important organizations in preventing the climate crisis in terms of legal coercion and sanctioning power has been questioned; these organizations have even created a feeling in the public that they are distracting the urgent climate agenda by supporting greenwashing under the guidance of multinational companies engaged in green washing.

Keywords

Climate Crisis, Greenwashing, Green Economy, Circular Economy

Hükümetler ve Uluslararası Kuruluşlar Yeşil Yıkamaya Destek mi Çıkıyor? Küresel İklim Krizinde Küresel Hareket Etmek

Abstract

İklim krizi, ‘yeni normal’ haline gelen iki önemli sonucu; tüm dünyayı saran aşırı hava olayları ve pandemi ile tüm dünyanın birinci gündemini oluşturmaktadır. Krizin önlenmesinde ve geri döndürülmesinde mikro/makro ve ulusal/uluslararası tüm kurum ve kuruluşlara ciddi görevler düşmektedir. Ancak, bu görevler, krizde payı en az olan bireyler ve az gelişmiş ülkelerin üzerinde daha ağır bir yük oluştururken; sorunun kökeninde yer alan doğrusal ekonominin çarklarını çeviren üretim kesimi bu sorumluluktan kaçmaktadırlar. Hatta iklim krizi nedeniyle ‘Green Deal’ çerçevesinde döngüsel ekonomiye geçişe zorlanan firmalar ‘yeşil yıkamaya’ başvurarak hukuki sorumluluktan sıyrılmakla kalmamakta, üstüne üstlük karşı atakla ‘çevreci’ görünüp bir de bu durumu kâra dönüştürmeyi becerebilmektedirler. Bu yüzden iklim krizinin önlenmesinde başta AB ve BM gibi uluslararası kurumların etkinliğinin önemi artmaktadır. Ancak 1970’lerden bugüne uzanan yarım yüzyıllık çevre odaklı sürdürülebilir bir ekonomiye dönüşüm süreci ve alınan mesafe göz önüne getirildiğinde; hukuki zorlayıcılık ve yaptırım gücü açısından iklim krizini önleme yolundaki bu en önemli kurumların etkinlikleri sorgulanır olmuş; hatta bu kurumlar, kamuoyunda, yeşil yıkama yapan çok uluslu firmaların güdümünde yeşil yıkamaya destek olarak acil iklim gündemini oyaladıkları duygusu uyandırmışlardır.

Keywords

İklim Krizi, Yeşil Yıkama, Yeşil Ekonomi, Döngüsel Ekonomi

References

• 2021 Report. (2022). The production gap. Retrieved 25 December 2022 from https://productiongap.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/11/PGR2021_web_rev.pdf
• Aklin, M., & Mildenberger, M. (2020). Prisoners of the wrong dilemma: why distributive conflict, not collective action, characterizes the politics of climate change. Global Environmental Politics, 20(4), 4-27. https://doi.org/10.1162/glep_a_00578
• Banking on Climate Chaos, Fossil fuel finance report 2022 . (online) Retrieved 24 December 2022 from https://www.ran.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/BOCC_2022_vSPREAD-1.pdf. 24.11.2022
• Baum, L. M. (2012). It's not easy being green or is it? A content analysis of environmental claims in magazine advertisements from the United States and United Kingdom. Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture, 6(4), 423-440. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2012.724022
• BBC. (2022, November 9). How many private jets were at COP27? Retrieved 24 November 2022 from BBC News website: https://www.bbc.com/news/63544995
• Becker-Olsen, K., & Potucek, S. (2013). Greenwashing. In: Idowu, S.O., Capaldi, N., Zu, L., Gupta, A.D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Corporate Social Responsibility. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28036-8_104
• Biermann, F., Hickmann, T., Sénit, C. A., Beisheim, M., Bernstein, S., Chasek, P., & Wicke, B. (2022). Scientific evidence on the political impact of the Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Sustainability, 5(9), 795-800.
• Bomberg, E. (2017). Environmental Politics in the Trump Era: An Early Assessment. Environmental Politics. 26(5): 956–963, https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2017.1332543 Cambridge Dictionary. (2023, July 19). greenwashing. Retrieved 26 May 2023, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/tr/s%C3%B6zl%C3%BCk/ingilizce/greenwashing
• Cao, Q., Zhou, Y., Du, H., Ren, M., & Zhen, W. (2022). Carbon information disclosure quality, greenwashing behavior, and enterprise value. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.892415
• Coffey, Y., Bhullar, N., Durkin, J., Islam, M. S., & Usher, K. (2021). Understanding eco-anxiety: A systematic scoping review of current literature and identified knowledge gaps. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 3, 100047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100047
• Cooper, S. A., Raman, K. K., & Yin, J. (2018). Halo effect or fallen angel effect? Firm value consequences of greenhouse gas emissions and reputation for corporate social responsibility. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 37(3), 226-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2018.04.003
• Çetin, M., & Yılmaz, G. (2021). Pandemilerin Sürekliliği Tehlikesine Karşı Döngüsel Ekonomi İhtiyacı. Journal of Economic Policy Researches, 8(2), 225-255. https://doi.org/10.26650/JEPR.958415
• Delmas, M. A., & Burbano, V. C. (2011). The drivers of greenwashing. California management review, 54(1), 64-87. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2011.54.1.64
• Demirci, K. (2021). Sürdürülebilir geleceğin önündeki tehdit: Yeşil boyama (greenwashing) Türkiye kentleri üzerinden bir değerlendirme. Kent ve Çevre Araştırmaları Dergisi, 3(2), 34-55.
• Dickie, G., & Jessop, S. (2022, June 13). Report casts doubt on net-zero emissions pledges by big global companies. Retrieved 24 December 2022, from Reuters website: https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/report-casts-doubt-net-zero-emissions-pledges-by-big-global-companies-2022-06-12/
• Dixon-Fowler, H. R., Ellstrand, A. E., & Johnson, J. L. (2017). The role of board environmental committees in corporate environmental performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 140(3), 423-438. https://doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2664-7 Elton, C. (2022). Shell, BP, Exxon: Seized emails reveal ‘deceptive’ climate tactics and greenwashing. Retrieved 12 December 2022 from https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/09/23/shell-bp- exxon-seized-emails-reveal-deceptive-climate-tactics-and-greenwashing
• EPA. (2022). Learn About Volkswagen Violations. Retrieved 4 May 2022 from https://www.epa.gov/vw/learn-about-volkswagen-violations
• Escrig-Olmedo, E., Muñoz-Torres, M. J., Fernández-Izquierdo, M. Á., & Rivera-Lirio, J. M. (2017). Measuring corporate environmental performance: a methodology for sustainable development. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(2), 142-162. https://doi:10.1002/bse.1904
• Euro Topic. (2022). What will be the impact of the climate summit?. Retrieved December 22, 2022 from https://www.eurotopics.net/tr/291164/cop27-iklim-zirvesinin-etkisi-ne- olur?zitat=291069#zitat291069
• Feinstein, N. (2013). Learning from past mistakes: Future regulation to prevent greenwashing. BC Envtl. Aff. L. Rev., 40, 229.
• Frick, W. (2022). Study: Green Advertising Helped BP Recover from the Deepwater Horizon Spill. Retrieved 5 May 2022 from https://hbr.org/2014/02/study- green-advertising-helped-bp-recover-from-the-deepwater-horizon-spill
• Glass packagıng Institute. (2014). The millennials: a generatıon invested in health and the environment. Retrieved April 22, 2023, from https://assets.noviams.com/novi-file-uploads/gpi/pdfs-anddocuments/Advocacy/GPI-TheMillennials-11_6_14-FINAL.pdf.
• Grodsky, J. A. (1993). Certified green: The law and future of environmental labeling. Yale J. on Reg., 10, 147. Haber Merkezi. (2022, November 9). BM Yeşil Badana Konusunda Kırmızı Çizgiler Koydu - İklim Haber. Retrieved 25 December 2022 from İklim Haber website: https://www.iklimhaber.org/bm-yesil-badana-konusunda-kirmizi-cizgiler-koydu/
• Harris, P. G. (Ed.). (2011). China’s responsibility for climate change: Ethics, fairness and environmental policy (1st ed.). Bristol University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt9qgv7c
• Hickel, J. (2021). Çoğu Zarar Azı Karar: Dünyayı Küçülme Kurtaracak, İstanbul, Metis Yayınları.
• Hormio, S. (2023). Collective responsibility for climate change. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, e830.
• Hourdequin, M. (2010). Climate, collective action and individual ethical obligations. Environmental Values, 19, 443–464. https://doi.org/10. 3197/096327110X531552
• In, S. Y., & Schumacher, K. (2021). Carbonwashing: A new type of carbon data-related ESG greenwashing. Available at SSRN 3901278.
• Jamieson D. (2010). Climate change, responsibility, and justice. Science and engineering ethics, 16(3), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-009-9174-x
• Jonson, E. The Complete Guide to National Climate-Related Disclosures. Retrieved 25 December 2022 https://carboncloud.com/2022/09/08/mandatory-climate-disclosures/
• Kaya, N.E. (2022). Fosil yakıtlara destek iklim taahhütlerine rağmen iki katına çıktı. Retrieved 24 December 2022 from https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/fosil-yakitlara-destek-iklim-taahhutlerine- ragmen-iki-katina-cikti/2672338#:~:text=D%C3%BCnyan%C4%B1n%20toplam%20enerji%20tedarikini n%20y%C3%BCzde,697%2C2%20milyar%20dolar%20oldu
• Kemp, L., Xu, C., Depledge, J., Ebi, K. L., Gibbins, G., Kohler, T. A., Rockström, J., Scheffer, M., Schellnhuber, H. J., Steffen, W., & Lenton, T. M. (2022). Climate Endgame: Exploring catastrophic climate change scenarios. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(34), e2108146119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.
• Kettley, S. (2022). Greta Thunberg UN speech in FULL: Read climate activist’s condemnation of World leaders. Retrieved 27 December 2022 from https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1216452/Greta-Thunberg-UN-speech-full- COP25-Greta-Thunberg-speech-transcript-climate-change
• Kinderman, D. (2016). Time for a reality check: Is business willing to support a smart mix of complementary regulation in private governance?. Policy and Society, 35(1), 29-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polsoc.2016.01.001 Kolcava, D. (2023). Greenwashing and public demand for government regulation. Journal of Public Policy, 43(1), 179-198. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0143814X22000277
• Kurnaz, L. (2022). What do the climate change conferences organized by the United Nations promise. Retrieved December 26, 2022 from https://yesilgazete.org/birlesmis-milletlerin-duzenledigi- iklim-degisikligi-konferanslari-ne-vaat-ediyor/
• Kurnaz, L. (2023). Yeşil badana ve ötesi. Retrieved 1 February 2023 from https://yesilgazete.org/yesil-badana-ve-otesi/
• Lambin, E. F., & Thorlakson, T. (2018). Sustainability standards: Interactions between private actors, civil society, and governments. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 43, 369-393. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-025931 LeBaron, G., & Lister, J. (2021). The hidden costs of global supply chain solutions. Review of International Political Economy, 29(3), 669-695. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2021.1956993
• Li, Z., Liao, G., & Albitar, K. (2020). Does corporate environmental responsibility engagement affect firm value? The mediating role of corporate innovation. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(3), 1045-1055. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2416
• Living Planet Report 2022. (2022). Retrieved 20 October 2022 from Panda.org website: https://livingplanet.panda.org/
• Lyon, T. P., & Montgomery, A. W. (2015). The means and end of greenwash. Organization & Environment, 28(2), 223-249. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026615575332
• Marquis, C., Toffel, M. W., & Zhou, Y. (2016). Scrutiny, norms, and selective disclosure: A global study of greenwashing. Organization Science, 27(2), 483-504.
• Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. W. (2018). The limits to growth. In Green planet blues (pp. 25-29). Routledge.
• McGrath, M. (2021a). Climate crisis: governments plan to produce fossil fuels twice their promises by 2030, according to UN. Retrieved 24 November 2022 from https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler- dunya-58978438
• McGrath, M. (2021b). Climate change: UN emissions report raises ‘warning alert’. Retrieved 24 November 2022 from https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-dunya-59054518
• McGrath, M. (2022). COP27: Fossil fuel industry delegates attending climate summit increased by 25 percent. Retrieved 25 December 2022 from https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/c89p9g3234zo, Mlaba, K. (2021). Retrieved 16 May 2023 from Global Citizen website: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/greenwashing-what-is-it-and-how-to-avoid-it/
• Net Zero Tracker. (2022). Net Zero Stocktake 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022 from https://zerotracker.net/analysis/net-zero-stocktake-2022
• New Climate Institute. (2022). Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022 from https://newclimate.org/wp- content/uploads/2022/02/CorporateClimateResponsibilityMonitor2022.pdf
• OECD -Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development OECD Guidance on Transition Finance, (online), Retrieved 24 December, 2022 from https://www.oecd.org/environment/oecd-guidance-on-transition-finance-7c68a1ee- en.htm
• Parguel, B., Benoit-Moreau, F., & Russell, C. A. (2015). Can evoking nature in advertising mislead consumers? The power of ‘executional greenwashing'. International Journal of Advertising, 34(1), 107-134.
• Rannard, G. (2022). İklim krizi: ‘Amazon, Google ve Apple gibi büyük şirketler hedeflerine uymuyor’. Retrieved 24 December 2022 from https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-dunya- 60288468
• Ritchie, H. (2022). Who has contributed most to global CO2 Emissions? Retrieved 22 December 2022, from https://ourworldindata.org/contributed-most-global-co2
• Sagoff, M. (2011). The poverty of climate economics. In J. S. Dryzek, R. B. Norgaard, & D. Schlosberg (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of climate change and society. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199566600.003.0004
• Schwab, K. (2019). What Kind of Capitalism Do We Want?. Retrieved 19 October 2022 from https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/stakeholder-capitalism-new-metrics- by-klaus-schwab-2019-11
• Sheehy, B. (2015). Defining CSR: Problems and solutions. Journal of business ethics, 131, 625-648. Stern, N. (2009). Yaşanabilir Bir Gezegen Projesi. 2009.
• Sun, Z., & Zhang, W. (2019). Do government regulations prevent greenwashing? An evolutionary game analysis of heterogeneous enterprises. Journal of Cleaner Production, 231, 1489-1502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.335
• Suna, S. (2022). COP27 sona erdi: Kayıp ve zarar fonu kurulacak, fosil yakıtların azaltılmasında ilerleme yok. Retrieved 24 November 2022 from https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cyxe35yzq26o
• Supran, G., Rahmstorf, S., & Oreskes, N. (2023). Assessing ExxonMobil’s global warming projections. Science, 379(6628), eabk0063.
• TEMA- Türkiye Erozyonla Mücadele, Ağaçlandırma ve Doğal Varlıkları Koruma Vakfı. (2015). 2050’de Üç Tane Dünyaya İhtiyacımız Olacak. Retrieved 19 October 2022 from https://www.tema.org.tr/basin-odasi/basin-bultenleri/2050de-uc-tane-dunyaya- ihtiyacimiz-olacak
• The cost to Africa - Christian Aid. (2022). Retrieved 22 December 2022 from Christianaid.org.uk website: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/get-involved/cost-africa
• UNEP- United Nations Environment Programme. (2021a). Making Peace with Nature: A scientific Blueprint to Tackle the Climate, Biodiversity and Pollution Emergencies. (Çevrimiçi), Retrieved 5 May 2022 from https://www.unep.org/resources/making-peace-naturep
• UNEP- United Nations Environment Programme. (2021b). New UNEP Synthesis Provides Blueprint to Urgently Solve Planetary Emergencies and Secure Humanity’s Future. Retrieved 6 May 2022 from https://www.unep.org/news- and-stories/press-release/new-unep-synthesis-provides-blueprint-urgently-solve- planetary
• UNEP- United Nations Environment Programme. (2022). Emissions Gap Report (2022). Retrieved 24 November 2022 from https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2022 United Nations (n.d.) Sustainability. Retrieved 16 May 2022 from https://www.un.org/en/academic- impact/sustainability
• United Nations. (2022). High‑Level Expert Group on the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities, Integrity Matters: Net Zero Commitments by Businesses, Financial Institutions, Cities and Regions. Retrieved 24 November 2022 from https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/high- level-expert-group
• Üren, Ç. (2022). Britanyalı düşünce kuruluşundan yeşil yıkama raporu: 5 petrol devi iklim dostu reklama bir yılda 750 milyon dolar harcadı. Retrieved 12 September 2022 from https://www.indyturk.com/node/552011/yaşam/britanyalı-düşünce-kuruluşundan-yeşil- yıkama-raporu-5-petrol-devi-iklim-dostu
• Vesa, J., Gronow, A., & Ylä-Anttila, T. (2020). The quiet opposition: How the pro-economy lobby influences climate policy. Global Environmental Change, 63, 102117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102117
• Willis, J. (2023). The Greenwashing Hydra. Planet Tracker. (Online). https://planet-tracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Greenwashing-Hydra-3.pdf.
• World Economic Forum. (2022). The Global Risks Report 2022, 17th Edition”, Insıght Report. Retrieved 22 October 2022, from https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Global_Risks_Report_2022.pdf
• Yeşil Gazete. (2022, November 10). Yedi yılda emisyon azaltım taahhütlerinin yalnızca yüzde 24’ü gerçekleşti. Retrieved 24 December 2022 from Yeşil Gazete website: https://yesilgazete.org/yedi-yilda-emisyon-azaltim-taahhutlerinin-yalnizca-yuzde-24u-gerceklesti/