17 December 2019 Coal lending was on the agenda two weeks before ANZ’s annual shareholder meeting in Brisbane today, as revelations hit the news that ANZ had a secret plan to slash its thermal coal mining loans by 75% (representing more than $700 million) by 2024. The secrecy of the … Read More
Westpac: a laggard on climate change
12 December 2019 Westpac’s board knew they would be facing fired-up shareholders at today’s annual general meeting (AGM) but perhaps weren’t prepared to bear the weight of responsibility for the impacts on communities and customers fighting the climate crisis. Amid its recent scandals, the board was forced to address the … Read More
BHP commits to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050
7 November, 2019 BHP Chair Ken MacKenzie has publicly applauded the European Commission’s proposal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. However, until now it has been unclear as to whether BHP will adopt the same goals. This appears to have resolved at today’s annual general meeting in Sydney, where a … Read More
Super funds back Origin’s smoke and mirrors climate plan
16 October 2019 Origin Energy’s annual general meeting today was dominated by shareholder and community concerns over the climate, environmental and social impacts of the company’s dirty fossil fuel operations and plans. That’s not surprising given Origin is one of Australia’s biggest greenhouse gas polluters and has plans to prolong … Read More
Media Release: Three major banks face shareholder resolutions on climate action
Westpac, NAB and ANZ called upon to reduce exposure to fossil fuels in line with the Paris Agreement’s climate change goals. Thursday 10 October 2019 Environmental finance organisation Market Forces is today lodging shareholder resolutions with Westpac, NAB and ANZ today. The resolutions call for a reduction in lending and … Read More
Media release: Investors heap pressure on AGL
Thursday 19 September 2019 At today’s AGM in Sydney, over 30% of shareholders, worth more than AU$3.8bn, voted against management and in support of a resolution calling on the company to reduce emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Response from Will van de Pol, Market … Read More
AGL shareholders demand coal plant closure
19 September 2019 AGL shareholders today sent a strong message to Australia’s biggest climate polluter, with more than 30% voting in favour of a resolution demanding the company reduce emissions in line with the Paris climate goals. Only twice before has a climate change-related shareholder proposal received more than 20% … Read More
Media release: AGL management rejects climate resolution
8 August 2019 AGL’s management today advised shareholders to reject a resolution calling on the company, Australia’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, to reduce emissions in line with the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. “AGL’s argument against a common sense shareholder resolution appears to reject the science, which tells us … Read More
QBE leaves door open to oil and gas phase out
QBE Insurance faced a barrage of questions as well as a shareholder resolution calling for the company to set targets to phase out its exposure to all fossil fuels at its annual general meeting on 9 May 2019. Although QBE took a big step forward in March when it committed … Read More
