Projects
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| Reference Number | UKRI1577 | |
| Title | Is skin-in-the-game a game-changer? A review on indigenous community empowerment through equity stakes in the energy sector | |
| Status | Started | |
| Energy Categories | Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research (Demographics) 50%; Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research (Energy Economics) 30%; Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research (Environmental, social and economic impacts) 20%; |
|
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Policy and regulation) 20%; Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy) 80%; |
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| Principal Investigator |
Hao Zheng University of Leicester |
|
| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | ESRC | |
| Start Date | 01 May 2025 | |
| End Date | 01 April 2026 | |
| Duration | 11 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £5,746 | |
| Industrial Sectors | ||
| Region | East Midlands | |
| Programme | International | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Hao Zheng , University of Leicester |
| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | N/A | |
| Abstract | This proposed study aims to contribute to the finance governance theme by investigating the empowerment of marginalized communities (i.e., the Indigenous communities) through equity stakes in the energy sector, which bridges broader corporate governance frameworks with the critical goals of energy transition and sustainability. Indigenous inclusivity is essential for the sustainable development of the energy sector, addressing long-standing social and economic inequalities while fostering just energy transitions. Indigenous groups play key roles in energy projects in Canada and the United Kingdom (UK), with their lands and resources often forming the foundation for large-scale developments. In the UK, marginalized communities, particularly in Scotland, have voiced concerns about energy projects, such as accusations of "bribery" in gaining support for wind farms. While community energy initiatives that allow local groups to invest in green projects exist, their growth remains limited. In Canada, innovative strides are being made toward inclusive economic participation of Indigenous communities. A notable example in Canada involves Indigenous communities leveraging government-backed guaranteed loans to purchase equity stakes in energy companies, thereby entering corporate structures. This innovative approach, which encourages Indigenous communities to acquire equity stakes in major energy projects, promotes financial inclusion while encouraging them to participate economically in energy companies and contribute to energy transition efforts. Despite its promise, this pathway presents challenges. Indigenous shareholders, as minority stakeholders, often face barriers to having their voices heard in corporate governance, raising concerns about tokenism. Addressing agency issues for minority equity holders is essential to ensuring genuine empowerment and improving energy transformation efficiency and climate risk mitigation efforts. This research project aims to examine studies on the empowerment of Indigenous communities in financial inclusion, energy transformation, and climate risk mitigation by focusing on Indigenous equity participation developments in Canada and providing cross-national insights to inform strategies for empowering marginalized communities in the UK. Through narrative syntheses of academic literature and media reports, this project seeks to: - Assess the current knowledge on Indigenous community empowerment in Canada and the UK, building on existing literature. - Explore the implementation and challenges of enabling equity stakes for Indigenous communities in the energy sector. - Identify knowledge gaps and offer policy and practice recommendations to enhance financial inclusion and active participation in energy transformation. - Share findings with cross-sectoral stakeholders and the public to drive meaningful impact | |
| Data | No related datasets |
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| Projects | No related projects |
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| Publications | No related publications |
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| Added to Database | 07/01/26 | |
