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Short abstract:

This talk examine the central and peripheral aspects of carbonization within the French public laboratories, to discuss the ontological nature of a carbonization center.

Long abstract:

My ongoing STS dissertation examines the methodological and epistemological implications of decarbonization in the French public research sector. My fieldwork involves a group of French scientists who have been striving to decarbonize the sector through the development and implementation of their own carbon-tracker.

My main argument is that to gain a deeper understanding of 'societal decarbonization,' it is essential to examine both the central and peripheral aspects of carbonization within each sector, even those that may not initially appear highly carbon intensive. Understanding, in this context, entails not only identifying the 'factors' contributing to carbonization but also scrutinizing the power dynamics involved.

My research involved interviewing numerous scientists and engineers who began by quantifying carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions from their labs to prioritize areas for intervention. For some laboratories (in biology, for instance) material purchases emerged as the primary source of CO2e emissions, whereas for others, particularly in the social and human sciences, missions, and in particular extensive air travel, had a significant impact. Many interviewees highlighted the distinction between decarbonization efforts within their control and those beyond their influence, such as relationships with suppliers, building insulation, project-based funding versus permanent funding, staffing shortages, etc.

The decarbonization process becomes even more complex when a central source of carbonization is qualified as inherent and essential to research practices (plastic materials or plane transportation, for instance). This case-study intends to provide new insights to discuss the ontological nature of a carbonization center.