Woodside, Australia’s polluter-in-chief, had a terrible day at its annual general meeting.

Shareholders and concerned Australians voted down Woodside’s ‘climate’ plan simply because it wasn’t going far enough to tackle the climate crisis.

This is a massive blow to Woodside’s credibility – banks, super funds, institutional investors and thousands of shareholders have said its ‘climate’ plan isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.

Communities here in Australia and the Pacific deserve a safe climate future.

Woodside’s Burrup Hub is the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia today. Approving new fossil fuel projects will endanger countless lives and recklessly lock Australia into more fossil fuels as the rest of the world shifts to cleaner, cheaper renewable energy.

We’ve spent the past 2 years fighting to stop Woodside from going ahead with its disastrous plans in WA. And now the finish line is in sight. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has Woodside’s plans on her desk right now and we know she cares deeply for the environment and our oceans. Let’s make sure Plibersek receives an avalanche of emails opposing Woodside’s Burrup Hub.

You can use our simple tool to email Plibersek in just a few clicks.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific is currently taking Woodside to the Federal Court for making previous statements that we believe were misleading or deceptive about its plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. 

Greenpeace v Woodside Concise Statement

Members of the media only can contact Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 or Kimberley Bernard on 0407 581 404 for further information or to arrange an interview.

Comments attributable to a Greenpeace Australia Pacific spokesperson:

“We are deeply concerned that Resources Minister Madeleine King is using sneaky means to fast-track approvals for new gas projects while undermining environmental protections under the EPBC Act, laying the groundwork for more new gas during a climate crisis.

“The Bill effectively provides the offshore petroleum industry a future carve out from the protections afforded by the EPBC Act. On the day Australia is revealed as having the highest rates of mammal extinction in the world, the last thing we should be doing is weakening nature protections for the gas industry. The amendments tabled today provide Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, some veto power over future changes introduced by Minister King – specifically in ensuring that changes are consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development – but still leave Australia’s natural environment at significant risk. 

“While in need of major reform, even the current EPBC Act provides much greater protections and those protections are at risk of being lost during this blatant power-grab by Minister King.

“We are concerned that these amendments, buried in a Bill largely about worker safety, will be rushed through the Parliament this week without the relevant scrutiny. 

“The Government gave assurances that there would be extensive consultations – yet consultation has been minimal in Minister King’s rush to push the Bill through. Minister King has also labelled claims she was taking over environmental approvals a “conspiracy theory”. None of this builds confidence that Minister King is prioritising Australia’s precious natural environment above the want of the gas industry.

Woodside’s Burrup Hub is set to define Labor’s legacy on environmental protection

“The gas industry has been pushing the Labor government to weaken Australia’s environmental protections because it has a suite of new projects in the pipeline that pose a major threat to our oceans and climate. The biggest and most dangerous of these is Woodside’s Burrup Hub, which would require drilling up to 50 wells around Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef system and a vital habitat for pygmy blue whales and green turtles.

“Minister Plibersek is expected to decide whether to give Woodside the green light to drill at Scott Reef this year. It’s a key test of Labor’s environmental legacy.” 

Images of the stunning, pristine Scott Reef are available for hi-res download here. Additional photos and materials can be made available on request.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 or lwills@greenpeace.org

Today the fossil fuel giant released its latest annual report along with its annual ‘Climate Transition Action Plan’.

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Climate and Energy Jess Panegyres:

“In the hottest year on record, punctuated by extreme weather events and the ever-spiralling cost of living, Woodside made billions of dollars – these profits are made from our collective loss.

“Gas is a dirty and polluting fossil fuel that’s driving the climate disasters we’re seeing take place all over Australia. Costs from natural disasters are already around $38bn a year, or 2% of GDP, a bill expected to roughly double in four decades.

“Woodside is Australia’s biggest climate threat and we believe they cannot be trusted.

“Where the world is investing in clean, green renewables, Woodside’s profits are instead overwhelmingly invested in new fossil fuel projects and in maximising their shareholder profits.

“To address the worsening climate crisis, Woodside needs to stop drilling new fossil fuel fields and start paying for the damage done by climate change in Australia and the wider Pacific region.

“Today Woodside also released its latest Climate Transition Action Report. Greenpeace is currently taking Woodside to court, alleging that in earlier communications the fossil fuel giant has been misrepresenting its climate performance and plans to the Australian public.

“We’re arguing that Woodside’s statements mislead investors, governments and the general public into thinking it is reducing its emissions when in truth the company’s emissions are increasing.

“The question that Woodside must now answer before our courts is whether its climate claims actually stack up.

“Woodside’s so-called ‘climate transition action report’ should be closely scrutinised.”

Greenpeace’s court proceedings against Woodside Energy will next be heard on 27 March 2024 at 9.30 am in the Federal Court of Australia.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 and/or lwills@greenpeace.org

The revelations follow questions to the offshore regulator NOPSEMA at Senate Estimates overnight.

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter:

“Companies with oil and gas rigs are required to have environmental management plans. These are a critical part of our regulatory framework and require developers to explain how their actions might impact our precious natural environment.

“Under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2023 the plans must be revised every 5 years so that changes to these risks can be properly scrutinised.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific is concerned to learn that Woodside is in breach of these important environmental laws.

“Woodside’s legacy of toxic spills, accidents, and leaving oil and gas infrastructure rusting in the ocean despite orders from Australian authorities, shows that the company can’t be trusted when it comes to protecting our environment.

“Woodside’s operations are continuing at three facilities despite their last environment plans being accepted over five years ago, and revised environment plans not having been submitted for consideration by NOPSEMA. These include:

• the Macedon operations which was due to have a revised environment plan submitted to NOPSEMA by about 15/10/2023;
• the Vincent Maersk Ngujima-Yin FPSO operations on which the environment plan was due to be submitted by about 28/11/2023; and
• the Pyrenees facility operations which was due to have a revised environment plan submitted by about 3/1/2024.

“NOPSEMA confirmed in Senate Estimates that it issued an informal extension to Woodside on these environment plans, but that doesn’t go far enough.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific is now urging NOPSEMA to exercise its powers to issue a directions notice to Woodside to force compliance with the requirement to submit revised environment plans.

“Ahead of an expected decision from the Federal Environment Minister concerning Woodside Energy’s climate-wrecking Burrup Hub project – the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia – we urge the Minister to take note of these concerns.

“Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, is reviewing Woodside’s plans to exploit the Browse gas field – a key part of the Burrup Hub project. This would require drilling up to 50 wells around Scott Reef, Australia’s largest stand-alone coral reef atoll and a vital habitat for pygmy blue whales and green sea turtles. The project would also require building a 900km-long pipeline through two marine parks.

“A decision to rule out Woodside’s Burrup Hub is a decision to save Scott Reef and prevent untold environmental harm.”

Greenpeace’s report into the potential risks of Woodside’s Burrup Hub project is here.

Images of the stunning, pristine Scott Reef are available for hi-res download here. Additional photos and materials can be made available on request.

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The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast yet another heatwave for Perth with Friday and Saturday expected to reach a top of 41C.

“Heatwaves and extreme weather are linked to fossil fuel-driven climate change. We will only see more of these kinds of heatwaves and extreme weather if Woodside is allowed to develop massive new fossil fuel projects in WA,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Climate and Energy Jess Panegyres said today.

“Heatwaves put lives, livelihoods, and communities at risk. Soaring temperatures not only pose individual health dangers but also put entire ecosystems and communities at increased.

“Companies like Woodside are fanning the flames of climate change by pushing ahead with polluting fossil fuel projects.

“Global heating, caused mainly by the extraction and burning of coal, oil and gas, is driving the radical destabilisation of our climate.

“Woodside’s massive Burrup Hub project is far and away the most polluting fossil fuel proposal in Australia – it’s a disaster in the making for our environment and our climate. Extreme heat is just one of the devastating consequences that West Australians will suffer, should this project go ahead.”

“Gas companies have fuelled Australia’s cost-of-living crisis, with profiteering leading to federal government intervention in 2022. Companies like Woodside have made historic profits while Australians suffer.

“This deal cannot become an excuse to give Woodside what it wants from the federal government, which is approval for Australia’s biggest new fossil fuel project, the Burrup Hub. Woodside has a history of pursuing its profits over the best interests of Australians, and Greenpeace is worried Woodside will use this deal to bully the federal government into approving its fossil fuel expansion plans.

“Gas is a fossil fuel that is driving dangerous climate change, and it’s already costing Australians in climate impacts and high energy prices. There’s no place for Woodside’s dangerous gas expansion plans if we want a safer climate future. The cheapest new energy in Australia is clean, green renewables in wind and solar – lowering costs for ordinary Australians while protecting our planet.”

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Greenpeace Australia Pacific alleges that the fossil fuel giant has been misrepresenting its climate performance and plans. Greenpeace Australia Pacific, represented by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), will claim that:

• Woodside represented that it had cut the climate pollution from extracting and processing its gas and oil by 11% in 2022, but it had relied heavily on so-called “carbon offsets” – and its actual emissions went up by more than 3%.
• Woodside represented that it had a plan to be ‘net zero’ by 2050, but it had neglected to mention that this didn’t apply to the emissions produced when its oil and gas gets burnt that represents over 90% of its climate pollution.

If successful, the Federal Court case could improve transparency of disclosure, forcing fossil fuel companies to be up front about the scope and impact of their business plans, not trying to bury the truth in the fineprint.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific is claiming that Woodside – Australia’s biggest climate threat – has engaged in conduct that was misleading or deceptive, or was likely to mislead or deceive, when making statements about its greenhouse gas emissions and reduction plans.

The case comes at the conclusion of global climate talks at COP28 and follows Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s recent scaling of a 140-metre crane next door to Woodside’s headquarters in Perth. Greenpeace activists condemned Woodside’s climate-wrecking proposed Burrup Hub project and called on decision-makers to “Stop Woodside”, ahead of an expected Federal Government decision in relation to the project in early 2024.

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO, David Ritter:

“Woodside is treating the Australian public and its shareholders like mugs.

“We’re now asking the Federal Court to rule that Woodside’s claims are misleading. These should be corrected and the fossil fuel giant should be prevented from making these claims.

“Greenpeace won’t stand idly by as Australia’s biggest climate threat – a company that is profiteering from climate devastation – buries the truth about its impact in the fine print.”

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific General Counsel, Katrina Bullock:

“Greenwashing is dangerous because it delays action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, undermines competition and potentially misleads investors.

“We believe Woodside’s statements are designed to make investors, governments and the general public think it is reducing its emissions, when in truth the company’s emissions are increasing.  

“It is clearly in the public interest to ensure big polluters such as Woodside are held to account for their allegedly misleading or deceptive conduct.”

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Climate and Energy, Jess Panegyres:

“This Federal Court case is a powerful opportunity to hold fossil fuel giant Woodside to account for misleading or deceiving shareholders, decision makers and the Australian public about its climate harm and how it plans to reduce that harm. 

“Woodside is Australia’s biggest climate threat and we believe they cannot be trusted.

“The question that Woodside must now answer before our courts is whether its climate claims actually stack up. 

“Going forward, shareholders, the public and the Federal Environment Minister should closely scrutinise Woodside’s plans and their so-called ‘climate credentials’.”

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Notes:

Photos and videos of Greenpeace’s campaign against Woodside, including images of Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter, are available here.

Photos and video of today’s press conference will be made available here by 1pm AEDT.

Seismic blasting uses underwater airguns to blast powerful sound waves towards the seabed to identify fossil fuel reservoirs beneath the ocean floor. It can seriously injure whales and potentially kill other marine life. A growing body of research indicates that this noise pollution can damage, sometimes permanently, the hearing of whales and fish, as well as kill important prey species like plankton. 

Woodside’s own acoustic modelling found that pygmy blue whales could be injured by the seismic blasting over 60km from the blasting vessel. The blasts are expected to run for weeks, with local wildlife being exposed to booms as loud as a jet plane every 5 seconds, 12 hours a day.

Seismic blasting is just the first part of Woodside’s monstrous Burrup Hub. The whole Burrup Hub will include drilling up to 80 gas wells off the Pilbara and Kimberley coast – posing a threat to wildlife at major biodiversity hotspots like Scott Reef. 

Woodside and its Burrup Hub is Australia’s biggest climate threat, belching out 6.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its proposed 50-year lifetime.

The Burrup Hub is so dirty that its climate pollution would be greater than the combined total of the next two largest fossil fuel projects: the Beetaloo Tamboran and the Peak Downs Extension.

Woodside’s seismic blasting is way too risky and it should never have been given the green light. But the fight isn’t over yet. With enough pressure, we can make sure the government pulls the plug on Woodside’s disastrous plans. You can help by signing the Woodside petition or emailing your local MP.

“Greenpeace welcomes the announcement from COP28 that Australia has joined over 40 nations in signing the Clean Energy Transition Partnership — a crucial move towards phasing out fossil fuels for good and a massive step forward for Australia.

“This important agreement will help to shift billions of dollars out of polluting fossil fuels and catalyse finance for clean, renewable energy. It sends a strong signal that the Australian government is serious about rebuilding its reputation on the global stage and is ready to step up to show what true climate leadership in our region can look like.

“Now, this must translate into action at home. It’s time for Australia to turn the tap off on the billions of taxpayer dollars poured into the fossil fuel industry every year and to stop approving new fossil fuel projects — including Woodside’s Burrup Hub which alone would generate twelve times more emissions than Australia does in a year.

“As COP28 progresses, we must keep the human faces of climate change front of mind, from our Pacific neighbours being devastated by sea level rise and cyclones, to Australians facing another summer of deadly bushfires and extreme heat. We can not limit warming to 1.5 degrees unless we keep all fossil fuels in the ground.”

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