Coal and media need to wake up and smell the smoke

Coal power plant

By Antony Balmain, Media and Communications Manager, Market Forces Sometimes it seems as if I am living in a parallel universe.  This week, Whitehaven Coal, one of Australia’s largest coal miners, announced record profits and forecast growth plans completely incompatible with global climate goals. Yet not a single media outlet … Read More

Banks finally dump Whitehaven Coal

In a win that’s been a long time coming, news broke this week that Australia’s largest independent coal miner Whitehaven Coal is currently unbankable. This is a major development that further proves the effectiveness of the people-powered movement to drive finance out of fossil fuels! Earlier this week, Whitehaven announced … Read More

Big four banks pour $7.6 billion into fossil fuel expansion

MEDIA RELEASE   Tuesday 30 May: A new report by Market Forces reveals Australia’s big four banks have used smoke and mirrors to continue pouring billions of dollars into fossil fuel expansion. The report – Banking Climate Failure – finds ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, NAB and Westpac provided a … Read More

Big four banks loan $10.7 billion to coal since Paris Agreement

10 May 2023 Market Forces’ new analysis shows Australia’s big four banks – ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac – have loaned a combined $10.7 billion to the coal industry since the Paris Agreement was signed, with ANZ ($3.6 billion) and NAB ($3.3 billion) the worst offenders. In recent years, … Read More

NAB gets dangerously close to climate policy breach

NAB, which has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 and the goals of the Paris Agreement, today released its inaugural Climate Report and once again failed to commit to ruling out financing companies building new fossil fuel projects.  NAB said it will be “considering selectively reducing exposure to high emitting … Read More

Shareholders demand clear transition for major Australian coal company 

MEDIA RELEASE   Wednesday 26 October: Market Forces and Whitehaven Coal shareholders are calling on the major Australian coal miner to demonstrate how it will wind down its production in line with global climate goals. More than 100 shareholders have joined Market Forces in recommending investors back a resolution at … Read More

Big four Australian banks face shareholder climate backlash at AGMs

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 11 October 2022: Shareholder resolutions have been lodged with ANZ, NAB and Westpac calling on the banks to stop financing coal, oil and gas expansion.  The resolutions, lodged by hundreds of shareholders and coordinated by environmental finance organisation Market Forces, follow one that will go to a … Read More

Coal miners looking to self-insure new climate-wrecking projects

New Hope Group's Bengalla coal mine, 2014.

Since 2021, coal miners, including Adani/Bravus, New Hope and Whitehaven, have complained openly of difficulties securing insurance for their destructive activities. 45 major insurers have ruled out any coverage of Adani’s Carmichael coal mine, and according to Insure Our Future, 41 major insurers have some broader coal exclusion policy in … Read More