7 May 2020 As has been the case now for several years (see 2019 and 2018), fossil fuels and the climate crisis dominated insurance company QBE’s annual general meeting (AGM) today, despite it being shifted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With QBE having announced its exit from thermal coal … Read More
Oil Search must abandon oil and gas expansion
1 May 2020 Oil Search, Australia’s third largest pure play oil and gas company, today told shareholders its current strategic review will lead the company to “settling on a strategy that is consistent with the interests of shareholders.“ Company Chair Richard Lee went on to say, “we wouldn’t set in … Read More
Woodside fights historic investor demand for Paris-alignment
30 April 2020 A record-breaking 50% of Woodside Petroleum’s investors today voted in favour of a shareholder proposal calling on the company to align with the Paris climate goals. This is an incredible result, considering the Woodside board’s vehement opposition to the resolution. Coordinated by the Australasian Centre for Corporate … Read More
Super funds continue to block climate action
23 April 2020 Major super funds in Australia are continuing to vote, on behalf of their members, against the majority of shareholder proposals that would improve companies’ climate risk management. By investing our retirement savings in company shares, super funds get a say in how those companies are run. Our … Read More
Gas major Santos shows why it doesn’t deserve investment
3 April 2020 At its annual general meeting today, one of Australia’s biggest gas companies, Santos, proved it has no future in the clean, green economy we need to rapidly transition to. At the AGM, Santos fought tooth and nail against a shareholder proposal calling on the company to align … Read More
QBE faces shareholder resolution on oil and gas support
5 March 2020 Shareholders coordinated by Market Forces together with the $4bn investment manager Australian Ethical have co-filed a resolution calling for the global insurer to align underwriting (insurance) and investment activities with keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees. QBE has confirmed to the ASX this morning that the resolution … Read More
13 fossil fuel companies named in climate risk complaint
2 March 2020 Market Forces has written to corporate watchdog ASIC to raise concerns about fossil fuel producers’ climate risk disclosures, or lack thereof. Like other financial regulators, ASIC has been stepping up its scrutiny of companies’ disclosure and management of the financial risks posed by climate change. ASIC’s 2018 … Read More
Siemens AGM dominated by Adani criticism
6 February 2020 With hundreds of protestors chanting outside and an over-the-top security presence inside, Siemens annual general meeting (AGM) in Munich yesterday was dominated by stern criticism, by both institutional investors and ordinary Germans, of Siemens’ decision to stick with a contract to supply signalling technology for the Carmichael … Read More
Shareholders fire a shot across NAB’s bow over climate failure
18 December 2019 After record levels of shareholder support for climate risk management resolutions at ANZ and Westpac, it was NAB’s turn today to face the music over its failure to adequately manage climate risk. Since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, NAB has continued to lend heavily to … Read More
ANZ grilled on climate inaction and secret coal plan
17 December 2019 Coal lending was on the agenda two weeks before ANZ’s annual shareholder meeting in Brisbane today, as revelations hit the news that ANZ had a secret plan to slash its thermal coal mining loans by 75% (representing more than $700 million) by 2024. The secrecy of the … Read More
