By Antony Balmain, Media and Communications Manager, Market Forces Sometimes it seems as if I am living in a parallel universe. This week, Whitehaven Coal, one of Australia’s largest coal miners, announced record profits and forecast growth plans completely...
CommBank’s climate policy update leaves ANZ, NAB and Westpac in the dust
9 August 2023 This morning Commonwealth Bank announced a host of new fossil fuel finance restrictions, bringing Australia’s biggest bank closer to alignment with its commitments to the goals of the Paris Agreement and net zero emissions by 2050. Announcing a series of...
Warning sent to Commonwealth Bank ahead of crucial climate policy update
4 July 2023 Today Commonwealth Bank will receive hundreds of copies of a joint statement, calling on the bank to end all financing for new and expanded fossil fuels in its upcoming climate policy update. The statement, coordinated by Market Forces and endorsed by 35...
Woodside pushing ahead with Trion oil field, another project out of line with Paris climate goals
20 June 2023 Climate wrecking oil and gas company Woodside has today made the decision to proceed with a new offshore oil field, once again demonstrating a complete disregard for investor demands to align with global climate goals. Woodside today made the final...
Big four banks loan $10.7 billion to coal since Paris Agreement
10 May 2023 Market Forces’ new analysis shows Australia’s big four banks – ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac – have loaned a combined $10.7 billion to the coal industry since the Paris Agreement was signed, with ANZ ($3.6 billion) and NAB ($3.3 billion) the...
Whitehaven rushing ahead with new coal mine, backed by NAB and Westpac
2 May 2023 Whitehaven Coal has announced plans to start production at a new coal mine this year, flying in the face of global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. What’s worse, the company is pursuing these plans with the financial backing of two of Australia’s biggest...
After record vote against climate report in 2022, Woodside now sees record protest vote against directors
28 April 2023 Company directors under fire Nearly 35% of Woodside Energy’s shareholders voted against board member Ian Macfarlane’s re-election at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Perth today. Investors also voted significantly against the re-election of...
Santos faces Traditional Owner ire, investor demands to manage down expansion plans
6 April 2023 More than 18% of Santos’ shareholders today demanded the company drop its oil and gas expansion plans and instead manage down production in line with a net zero emissions by 2050 pathway at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Adelaide. The...
Australia’s big four banks face human rights complaint over Santos Barossa financing
5 April 2023 Tiwi Islands and Larrakia Traditional Owners have lodged formal complaints alleging the big four Australian banks - ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac – and a host of international financiers breached their human rights commitments by participating...
Dirty and Dark – political donations from the fossil fuel industry
1 February 2023 The Australian Government continues to support fossil fuel exploration and development in Australia, despite 2021 modelling by the International Energy Agency (IEA), confirmed again in late 2022, which finds that there can be no new coal, oil or gas...