On 22 June 2017, some 18 months after committing to support the aims of the Paris Agreement, Australia’s big four banks all contributed to a deal to finance more oil and gas exploration and production. Clearly, ANZ, CommBank, NAB and Westpac are yet to come to terms with exactly what … Read More
Shareholders put climate front and centre
Market Forces is all about empowering community members to hold organisations accountable for their climate and environmental impacts. A major element of this work involves working with shareholders to enable them to raise these issues directly with companies at their annual general meetings (AGMs). In the first half of 2017, … Read More
FAR: ‘two degrees is laughable in the extreme’
FAR is an Australian owned oil and gas company which operates in Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Australia and Senegal, a country already facing severe impacts from climate change. Currently the executive bonuses of FAR are tied to how much oil and gas they find. CEO Catherine Norman receives up to $100,000 per … Read More
Sundance: Not aware of any risks from climate change
Sundance Energy, the company that had its annual general meeting in Adelaide today, has had a tough run lately. US Secretary of State and former CEO of Exxon Mobil Mr. Tillerson sued them because he alleged that his $5 million property was in danger due to Sundance’s unconventional gas … Read More
Fossil fuels = climate change = health impacts. Helping Medibank join the dots
23 May 2017 Market Forces today led a delegation of doctors, health professionals and Medibank customers, who visited Medibank’s offices to hand over materials outlining the link between fossil fuels and public health impacts. The group – including representatives of Doctors for the Environment Australia, The Australian Medical Students Association, Healthy … Read More
Shareholder win! Oil Search commits to climate risk disclosure
19 May 2017 After months of pressure from shareholders, Oil Search confirmed at their AGM today that the company would commit to conduct and release an analysis of how it performs in a scenario where global warming is contained to 2 degrees and 1.5 degrees. The company would also adopt the … Read More
Statement: Market Forces reiterates Santos position
18 May 2017 In response to a clumsy attempt by Santos to dance around the statements that Chairman Peter Coates made at the Santos AGM on the 4th of May, Market Forces would like to issue this clarification: We know Santos is supportive of the Paris Agreement and the 2 … Read More
Revealed: AMP exposed to Adani Abbot Point
11 May 2017 Major Australian financial services company AMP faced intense questioning from concerned shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting in Sydney today after it was revealed AMP Capital has an existing financing relationship with Adani. Adani is the Indian energy giant planning to open up Queensland’s Galilee Basin to … Read More
Media release: Adani’s brand kryptonite: new poll reveals widespread support for Westpac decision to rule out funding
Friday 5 May, 2017: According to a national poll conducted by Essential Research, three times more Australians are in favour of Westpac ruling out funding for Adani’s controversial Carmichael mine proposal than those against. The poll, commissioned by environmental finance group, Market Forces, revealed that 41% of Australians approve of … Read More
Westpac Carmichael announcement a boost for customers
5 May 2017 A new survey shows that for every Australian that disapproves of Westpac’s policy change that rules out finance for the Carmichael coal mine, three others approve. It also turns out that ruling out Carmichael finance could gain Westpac more customers than they are at risk of losing, making … Read More
