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Social licence, corporate social responsibility and coal seam gas: framing the new political dynamics of contestation

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  • Curran, Giorel

Abstract

This paper explores the contestation dynamics between the unconventional gas mining sector and its challengers through the prism of the social licence to operate. Social licence is a dominant narrative in the mining sector today and as a signifier of the sector's CSR credentials, the term is an influential one. Its capacity to confer project legitimacy, and hence avoid the risks of community opposition, helps explain why most companies seek to gain one. Today both gas proponents and opponents talk the language of social licence: the former to defend their projects, the latter to challenge them. Yet, beyond rhetoric, the precise meaning of social licence remains elusive. This paper uses a case study of community opposition to primarily coal seam gas projects in an eastern Australian region to explore how the absence of a precise meaning for social licence has created a strategic opportunity space for the industry's opponents to invest social licence with a potent democracy frame. This democracy framing has proved particularly effective as a contestation tool and helps explain the outcomes in this case.

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  • Curran, Giorel, 2017. "Social licence, corporate social responsibility and coal seam gas: framing the new political dynamics of contestation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 427-435.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:101:y:2017:i:c:p:427-435
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2016.10.042
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    1. Sisi Que & Liang Wang & Kwame Awuah-Offei & Wei Yang & Hui Jiang, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility: Understanding the Mining Stakeholder with a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Aleksandra Kozłowska-Woszczycka & Katarzyna Pactwa, 2022. "Social License for Closure—A Participatory Approach to the Management of the Mine Closure Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-26, May.
    3. Stephens, Siân & Robinson, Bryan Michael Kenneth, 2021. "The social license to operate in the onshore wind energy industry: A comparative case study of Scotland and South Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PB).
    4. Woźniak, Justyna & Jurczyk, Weronika, 2022. "SLO in CSR perspective - A comparative case study from Poland (2018–2020)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    5. Kathryn Harrison, 2020. "Political Institutions and Supply-Side Climate Politics: Lessons from Coal Ports in Canada and the United States," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 20(4), pages 51-72, Autumn.
    6. Esterhuyse, Surina & Avenant, Marinda & Redelinghuys, Nola & Kijko, Andrzej & Glazewski, Jan & Plit, Lisa & Kemp, Marthie & Smit, Ansie & Vos, A. Tascha, 2018. "Monitoring of unconventional oil and gas extraction and its policy implications: A case study from South Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 109-120.
    7. Fry, Matthew & Brannstrom, Christian, 2017. "Emergent patterns and processes in urban hydrocarbon governance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 383-393.
    8. McCrea, Dr Rod & Walton, Dr Andrea & Jeanneret, Ms Talia, 2020. "An opportunity to say no: Comparing local community attitudes toward onshore unconventional gas development in pre-approval and operational phases," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    9. Walsh, Kathryn Bills & Haggerty, Julia H., 2020. "Social license to operate during Wyoming's coalbed methane boom: Implications of private participation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    10. Rajiv D. Banker & Xinjie Ma & Carol Pomare & Yue Zhang, 2023. "When doing good for society is good for shareholders: importance of alignment between strategy and CSR performance," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 1074-1106, June.
    11. Brueckner, Martin & Eabrasu, Marian, 2018. "Pinning down the social license to operate (SLO): The problem of normative complexity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 217-226.
    12. Shakil, Mohammad Hassan, 2021. "Environmental, social and governance performance and financial risk: Moderating role of ESG controversies and board gender diversity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Voyer, Dr Michelle & van Leeuwen, Dr Judith, 2019. "‘Social license to operate’ in the Blue Economy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 102-113.
    14. Xiao Wang & Xiufeng Zhao & Yaxian Wang & Suzhen Li, 2022. "A Comparison of CSR Image Construction between Chinese and American Petroleum Companies in the Context of Ecological Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-18, November.
    15. Sarah Tiba & Frank J. van Rijnsoever & Marko P. Hekkert, 2019. "Firms with benefits: A systematic review of responsible entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility literature," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(2), pages 265-284, March.
    16. Hindmarsh, Richard & Alidoust, Sara, 2019. "Rethinking Australian CSG transitions in participatory contexts of local social conflict, community engagement, and shifts towards cleaner energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 272-282.

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