1 August 2019 The insurance sector globally is waking up to the fact that if it wants to avoid the growing impact on its profits caused by the climate crisis, it needs to stop providing insurance to and investing in the companies that are fuelling it. At least 16 major … Read More
Market Forces’ take on BHP’s latest climate commitments
31 July 2019 Last week, BHP Billiton CEO Andrew Mackenzie made a speech in London that grabbed global headlines for two main reasons: The language he used made it clear that, even if BHP has a long way to go on addressing climate risk, there’s no doubt that the company … Read More
Media release: Suncorp dumps thermal coal
26 July 2019 In response to Market Forces lodging a shareholder resolution, Suncorp has revealed it is exiting the thermal coal sector, meaning there are now no Australian insurers willing to underwrite new thermal coal mines and power stations. A Suncorp spokesman told InsuranceNews, “Suncorp does not directly invest in, … Read More
Norwegian sovereign wealth fund pulls $3 billion out of AGL, BHP and South32
The Norwegian government’s decision to tighten the Government Pension Fund Global’s (GPFG) coal exclusion criteria will see the world’s richest sovereign wealth fund withdraw a combined AU$3 billion from AGL, BHP and South32. The announcement comes at a particularly bad time for AGL, just days after the company’s share price … Read More
QBE’s unanswered questions
11 June 2019 It’s not often that an annual general meeting (AGM) can be described as compelling. QBE’s AGM held on 9 May, however, delivered the goods with several questions from the floor resulting in extraordinary exchanges between shareholders and the chairman Marty Becker and CEO Pat Regan. Unfortunately, these … Read More
Woodside CEO admits gas the loser if the world limits warming to 1.5 degrees
In a week where climate change dominated global headlines with the UK Parliament’s declaration of a climate emergency and school strikers taking to the streets in over 500 locations worldwide, corporate Australia was also facing increasing scrutiny on climate change. Woodside’s annual general meeting on Thursday 2 May 2019 in … Read More
Santos challenged over its plans to frack the Northern Territory
2 May 2019 Shareholders and board members arriving at Santos’ annual general meeting (AGM) in Adelaide this morning were greeted by a large crowd highlighting Santos’ flagrant disregard for Indigenous land rights and a safe climate. The company plans to open up thousands of square kilometres of the Northern Territory … Read More
Nothing explosive about Orica’s climate disclosures
Orica provide explosives, blasting and tunnelling services to the mining, oil and gas, and construction industries. Unlike some of its industry peers, Orica’s published reports do give shareholders some sense of reality: the company accepts the science of climate change, recognises the need for scenario analysis, and this year began … Read More
Seven Group and Beach Energy dragging their feet on climate disclosure
23 November 2018 Seven Group Holdings has a diverse portfolio that includes industrial services (Coates Hire, CAT dealerships), oil and gas (SGH Energy), and media (41% share in Seven West Media which includes the Seven Network and the West Australian newspaper). Seven Group also has a 29% stake in Beach … Read More
Coal companies called out on future viability
22 November 2018 The recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found that a jump from 1.5ºC to 2ºC of warming would mean the death of the Great Barrier Reef, twice as many people worldwide exposed to water stress, and an extra 40,000 people in small island … Read More
