In August, 350.org Asia held the Asia Solidarity Lab (ASL) — a 3-day virtual event built on the previous Asia Climate Leadership Camps and Global Just Recovery Gathering that took place in April 2021. The event aimed to engage global citizens to stand in solidarity for the climate crisis. Diverse struggles, solutions and approaches were shared among the participants, building on the momentum for the regenerative movement on climate justice.
During the ASL, Green Environment Youth Korea (GEYK) organized a side-event session held on Friday the 27th of August. The session, entitled “Greenwashing Busters”, brought together youth activists from three different countries: South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong; to call out the major corporations who are at the forefront of what they call the ‘greenwashing movement’.
One of GEYK’s main values is phasing out fossil fuels, and for this reason it is crucial to address the growing gap between corporations’ climate pledges and their ‘business as usual’ practices. This side event was pivotal to shed light on the mounting threat of greenwash that threatens the required transition away from fossil fuels.
First, South Korea shared the case study of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the largest electricity utility in South Korea. The corporation’s green bond failed in the ESG market test, as they continued to invest in new coal power plants in Indonesia — specifically the plants known as Java 9 & 10.
Next, Taiwan shared both positive and negative case studies, in which Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Delta Electronics were recognized as leading corporations for the enhanced transparency of their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their supply chain. On the other hand, the world’s biggest convenience store, 7-Eleven, was recognized by GEYK as a greenwasher. Taiwan’s case study concluded that national certifications to label the corporate’s supply chain emission level would be crucial to avoid misinformation for consumers and that information disclosure is necessary to report the corporation’s ESG level.
Lastly, Hong Kong shared their case study on China Light and Power Company, some of the largest power businesses in the Asia-Pacific. Despite the corporation’s release of a Sustainability Report in 2020, it was recognized that fossil fuels remained the major source of the corporation’s electricity supply.
This session concluded with a collective recognition for the need of renewed credibility and urgency within major corporations to solve greenwashing threats.
Take action with GEYK!
- Sign the petition: “Moon Jae-In, Stop Supporting Java 9 & 10 Coal Plants”
- Take part in our campaign: horizontally film yourself (within 5 seconds) shouting the three sentences and send to geykkorea@gmail.com
“Stop Greenwashing!” “Stop Coal!” “Stop Climate Crisis!”
350.org is also working to end fossil fuel finance. Sign our petition to tell South Korea’s President Moon Jae-In to stop supporting Java 9 and 10 #NineTenMustEnd.