Two degrees scorecard update

In December 2015, the Paris climate talks saw 195 nations agree to limit global warming to well below 2°C, compared with pre-industrial levels. In the lead up to Paris, ANZ, CommBank, NAB and Westpac all publicly championed the two degree limit, committing to support the transition to a low carbon … Read More

Big 4 STILL financing fossil fuel expansion

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

CommBank – Last bank standing on Adani?

UPDATE: Commonwealth Bank have ruled out financing the Adani Carmichael coal mine! Original post: Following the great news that Westpac won’t fund the Adani Carmichael coal mine, attention has now turned to Commonwealth Bank, with the question being asked: will CommBank be the last Australian bank standing on Adani? Here’s … Read More

Big banks loaned $10 billion to fossil fuels in 2016

6 March 2017 2016 was the first full year after the Paris agreement was signed, and since Australia’s big banks all committed to support the goal of holding global warming to well below 2ºC. So, how exactly did the banks go about backing up their 2°C commitments last year? Well, … Read More

Devaluing Australians’ property? CommBank CAN.

9 November 2016 In September, it was reported that a Chinchilla couple were denied a $500,000 bridging loan because their property, which was to be security for the loan, was deemed unacceptable for this purpose. The bank said in an email to the couple that “Long form valuation has revealed 4 coal … Read More

Poll reveals high expectations for banks to avoid fossil fuels

Share this Post 17 September 2016 A new survey has shown strong support, especially among customers of the major banks, for action to avoid financing fossil fuel projects that damage the environment and worsen climate change. The poll, conducted by Essential Research for Market Forces, asked over 1,000 Australians about their attitudes … Read More

Ten dodgy fossil fuel deals hurting the banks

Share this story The demise of the fossil fuel industry is a major headache for Australia’s big banks. Having provided the debt that fueled the last big fossil fuel boom, the likes of ANZ, CommBank, NAB and Westpac now find themselves exposed to projects that are both environmentally and financially … Read More

Banks fail 2ºC climate test, pour $5.6b into fossil fuels

3 August 2016 Australia’s big four banks have made a mockery of their ‘two degree’ commitments, pouring $5.6 billion into the fossil fuel sector since the December 2015 Paris climate change agreement. Our latest research shows the banks’ have failed to come anywhere close to meeting their commitments to help hold global … Read More

Can the big banks be coal free in five years?

18 May 2016 Whether or not they realised it at the time, Australia’s major banks signed up to some radical changes at the end of 2015. They all came out in support of the goal to hold global warming to below two degrees, recognising the role they had to play … Read More