Adani is doubling down on coal, investors and bond arrangers must act

30 July 2021 In mid-July Adani Electricity Mumbai issued US$300m worth of “sustainability-linked” bonds – a form of general corporate finance which carry no obligation to be directed towards sustainable projects and can be issued by any company willing to report on certain “sustainable” key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs … Read More

Coal affair sinks Mark Vaile’s uni application

23 June 2021 Thanks to an enormous backlash from students, staff, alumni, donors and the NTEU, former Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of Whitehaven Coal Mark Vaile decided to walk away from his appointment as the next chancellor of Newcastle University [1]. Vaile’s decision underscores that associating with the climate-wrecking … Read More

Spotlight on big banks after landmark court decision

Whitehaven coal train protests

28 May 2021 In a landmark judgment yesterday about Whitehaven’s proposed Vickery coal mine, Australia’s Federal Court decided that the national environment minister has a duty of care not to cause harm to young people from climate change. According to Ava Princi, one of the eight school students who brought … Read More

Big banks snub local farmers concerned about Whitehaven Coal

12 April 2021 Whitehaven Coal is one of the biggest coal mining corporations on the Australian share market and some of the world’s biggest banks, including Westpac, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, played a key role in lending $1 billion to the company in 2020.  ANZ and Commonwealth Bank have … Read More

Deutsche Bank refuses Adani Ports financing

29 January 2021 Media reports indicate that the world’s 7th largest (in 2020) bookrunner for bonds, Deutsche Bank, has been blocked by its Sustainability Committee from participating in Adani Ports’ latest bond issue. “Port-related environmental concerns which are in conflict with sustainability goals of the bank” was reported (paywalled) as … Read More

Adani forced to haul its own coal, driving up the cost of Carmichael

10 September 2020 Under the veil of the newly created Bowen Rail Company, Adani will be self-transporting Carmichael coal from pit to port. It appears that Adani tried to hide this development, with the new company’s website and media communications not mentioning “Adani” or “Carmichael”. The news highlights two major … Read More