7 August 2019 Great news! Commonwealth Bank has become the first in Australia to signal an end to thermal coal exposure! In its latest policy update, the bank has said it will: continue to reduce its thermal coal mining and coal-fired power generation exposures with a view to exiting the … Read More
Media release: Commbank out of thermal coal by 2030
New fossil fuel projects must prove carbon compliance Wednesday 7 August 2019 In today’s commitment, made in the bank’s new Environmental and Social Framework, to exit thermal coal by 2030, Commonwealth Bank has issued a stark warning to industry and policy-makers that coal has no place in Australia’s future. Commonwealth … Read More
Big four banks increase their fossil fuel exposure
January 2019 Australia’s major banks have been getting back into fossil fuels over the last year, casting doubt on their seriousness in tackling climate change through their investments. This study compares the banks’ reported exposures to fossil fuels and renewable energy from 2017 to 2018, finding some very worrying trends. … Read More
CommBank and NAB fund massive new LNG terminal despite 2°C commitments
8 June 2018 Last week we released our Banks 2° Scorecard 2018, an updated account of how the actions of Australia’s big four banks are tracking (or not) to their stated support of the Paris Agreement goal to limit global warming to well below 2°C, compared with pre-industrial levels. Market … Read More
Media release: Commbank confirms coal exit
Chairperson Catherine Livingstone will use today’s AGM to confirm Commonwealth Bank’s exit from investment in coal. In a statement submitted to the ASX and soon to be delivered at the AGM, Ms Livingstone says “our coal funding is comparatively small and has been trending down for some time. We expect … Read More
CommBank getting out of coal
15 November 2017Commonwealth Bank’s Chair Catherine Livingstone has used today’s annual general meeting in Sydney to indicate the bank intends to get out of the coal industry. Under pressure after Commonwealth Bank has continued its role as Australia’s biggest fossil fuel lender, and having failed to produce a policy that contains … Read More
Westpac out of Adani Abbot Point refinancing?
Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer today confirmed that the bank’s coal lending restrictions would, in theory, apply to restrict finance for infrastructure projects that are directly linked to new coal basin developments. That looks like a pretty good indication that Westpac won’t contribute to a refinancing deal for Adani’s Abbot Point … Read More
Media Release: Shareholders move to force Commbank to manage climate risk
28 August 2017 Shareholders have lodged a first-of-its-kind resolution with Commonwealth Bank that would embed climate change risk management into its constitution. It comes a month after shareholders began court proceedings against the bank over its failure to consider climate change as a material business risk. The resolution, coordinated by … Read More
Media release: Commbank to face new shareholder resolution after climate policy fail
Environmental finance group Market Forces will lodge a new shareholder resolution against Commonwealth Bank after its climate change position statement released today fell well short of its publicly-made 2 degree commitments. “Commonwealth Bank is not even pretending to make an effort on climate change with the position statement released today,” … Read More