Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter:

“Labor won the last Federal election on a promise of delivering the urgent, decisive climate action Australians want and deserve. Minister King’s announcement today is not only a betrayal of that commitment, it is a step closer to a more unsafe future for us all. This is no better than a smoker saying they are giving up, but in reality just swapping one brand of cigarettes for another.

“Minister King’s so-called strategy might as well have been written by the fossil fuel lobby; it is full of measures to ease the way for new gas, and conveniently light on measures to protect the threatened species that will be harmed in the process. It reads like a blank cheque for the industry to drill as they please, no matter the cost to our communities, and our climate.

“At a time when the science is crystal clear that any new fossil fuels are incompatible with a safe future, and global leaders—including Australia—have agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, this government is flogging fossil fuel furphies like “green gas” instead of proven and affordable renewable energy solutions. 

“Minister King’s reckless strategy is completely at odds with the Labor government’s progress towards its own Net Zero Emissions targets. It will deliver profits for gas exporters in the short term while saddling Australians with worsening extreme weather, more costly energy, redundant gas infrastructure and a less competitive economy. 

“This government must act in the best interest of the Australian people. For starters, we know that Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will soon decide whether to let Woodside develop the most polluting parts of the Burrup Hub—Browse and the Northwest Shelf extension. We call on Minister Plibersek not to approve these proposals.

“The light on the hill cannot be powered by gas. Minister King is wrong on the science, doing wrong to the people of Australia, and is undermining the Labor government’s standing, at home and abroad. 

“The Australian people are watching closely, as are our Pacific family. We urge  Ministers Plibersek, Bowen and King to ensure that this government’s legacy is not broken promises; but rather, a safe and thriving future for us all.”

Comments attributable to Shiva Gounden, Head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific:

“For our people in the Pacific, today’s news is a dagger in the back. At the COP28 summit, Minister Bowen referred to the Pacific as ‘our brothers and sisters’. But to truly be a family, you need to stop making the same mistakes again and again. What the Pacific needs right now is a stop to all expansion of fossil fuels – that means gas as well.”

“While Minister King courts Japanese investment, Minister Bowen will need to meet Pacific Island communities face-to-face at future COP meetings: will he stand by and allow this to happen? This Government knows that Australia’s fraught relationship with the Pacific relies on real climate action, not rhetoric.

“If the Australian government is serious about supporting its Pacific vuvale, it must uphold its commitment made at COP28 in Dubai to transition away from all fossil fuels. You can’t transition away by opening new fossil projects. It makes no sense.”

You’ll find a copy of Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s own submission to the Future Gas Strategy (November 2023) here.

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For more information or to arrange an interview:

• With David Ritter, please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 (Sydney)

• General enquiries: Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 (Melbourne)

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

The New Vehicle Emissions Standards will mean Australia goes from having a wild-west, rule-free car market, to reaching similar pollution limits as the US within 4 years, and it will mean a 50% reduction in new car emissions by 2029. The scheme is loophole-free, with bonus credits ruled out. And it is designed to be future proof, with targets that can only be made stronger.

This important climate decision will make all the difference when it comes to urgently bringing more affordable electric vehicles into Australia and is crucial if Australia is to meet its climate targets.

Strong vehicle efficiency standards will bring about real cuts to pollution and cleaner, quieter cities for us all to enjoy. This will mean less toxic, harmful pollution from the petrol and diesel burnt in our cars: a great outcome for Australian communities and our planet.

There is some bad news: in the final days of negotiation, the Government sadly caved to pressure from multinational car makers on a few details. Luxury petrol-guzzling SUVs like the Lexus LX were reclassified as “light commercial vehicles,” allowing them an easier ride on emissions standards. And the targets for light commercial vehicles were also weakened in the first years of the scheme.

Make no mistake – these concessions mean the standards will be 20% less effective at curbing pollution in the short-term. But we can take heart that the gap will shrink over time, and Australia will still be in a position to move to 100% zero emission vehicle sales by 2035.

The NVES is an important step towards achieving Australia’s climate targets, laying the groundwork for more action on transport emissions. By working closely with the states to make major and necessary investments in active transport, the Government can continue to accelerate its climate ambitions.

The good, the bad, the ugly

The Good:

• Australia will catch up to other major markets by 2030
• Legislation rules out ‘supercredits’ and loopholes 

The Bad

• By weakening the targets for Light Commercial Vehicles, the Bill will only achieve 80% of the pollution reduction that was in the model proposed in February 2024
• Using the ‘ladder frame chassis’ and ‘braked towing capacity’ as the criteria for classification as a ‘light commercial vehicle’ is a sensible approach, however it will unfortunately still result in an easier ride for luxury SUVs that are more consumer choice than business necessity.

The Ugly:

• The Government has held its IT systems responsible for not being able to commence the scheme in January 2025. Surely, the Government can find a way to track vehicle sales and apply the penalties and credits after the system is fully set up.
• Low-income earners stand to benefit the most from electric vehicles. The Government should be looking at measures to reduce upfront costs and increase charging accessibility for all Australians.
• The petrol and diesel car lobby group, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, are still fighting to keep Australian cars as toxic and polluting as possible, while asking motorists to keep paying high prices for imported petrol. 

Meanwhile, demand for electric vehicles in Australia has skyrocketed. While every Australian state and territory government has now introduced some form of incentive for the purchase of electric vehicles, the lack of fuel efficiency standards in Australia is putting the brakes on the electric vehicle market, holding Australians back from cleaner, more affordable electric transport.

This important climate decision will make all the difference when it comes to urgently bringing more affordable electric vehicles into Australia is crucial if Australia is to meet its climate targets. 

Due to the absence of strong, legislated fuel efficiency standards, Australia’s domestic vehicle fleet is one of the most polluting and least efficient in the world. Meanwhile, at least 80% of the global car market already have vehicle emissions standards and are seeing more electric vehicles on their roads, leaving Australia behind.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has today welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to legislating a New Fuel Efficiency Standard.

A fuel efficiency standard is the first step to opening up the Australian market to more EVs and ensuring that demand for them can be met.

Had the Government introduced standards in 2015 when the idea was initially put forward, Australians would have saved almost 6 billion dollars in fuel costs since.

Today’s announcement: the NVES reaches the Lower House

Onwards from today’s announcement, when it comes to accelerating Australia’s electric transport options, the gap between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ fuel efficiency standards makes all the difference. 

While weaker and delayed targets for the Light Commercial Vehicle segment will mean that around 35% of cars sold in Australia will face laxer rules over the next 4 years under the Government’s Bill, car makers are making rapid progress on designing new electric and plug-in hybrid utes. We expect those targets can be revisited and strengthened in 2026 as they come to market.

“The Government has committed to a 43% reduction in carbon emissions (from 2005 levels) across the economy by 2030. Their pre-election modeling assumed 89 per cent of new car sales would need to be fully electric to meet that goal. 

Clearly the NVES as drafted will not achieve that level of EV market share, so it will be up to the Government to identify other policy measures which will achieve commensurate reductions in the transport sector to make up for the shortfall, for example investing in public transport, cycling and the electrification of freight.

Media Briefing – Australian Automobile Association

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has today called on Australia’s largest motoring clubs to condemn the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) for its repeated efforts, including with the fossil fuel car and petroleum lobbies, to water down limits on car pollution and slow the uptake of electric vehicles in Australia.

Documents released under Freedom of Information (FOI) reveal that the AAA has a long history of working alongside the fossil fuel car and petroleum lobby to push Federal Ministers to weaken vehicle emissions standards, and run scare campaigns against electric vehicles. 

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz:

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific believes that the AAA’s well-established lobbying for weakened new vehicle efficiency standards over a number of years, positions the organisation as a threat to the introduction of strong vehicle pollution caps. 

“The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) claims to represent the interests of Australian motorists, as the peak body for state-based motoring organisations including the NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT and the AANT. 

“Yet the AAA’s lobbying appears to be in direct conflict with the interests of Australian motorists who would have saved nearly six billion dollars had fuel efficiency standards been introduced in 2016.

“It also conflicts with the positions of its motoring club members who have made submissions in support of the Government’s proposal for an NVES, commitments on climate change,  and their support of the uptake of electric vehicles.

“It’s time for Australia’s largest motoring organisation to make clear if they stand for climate action or for the destructive fossil fuel industry. 

“Pitching for more petrol-fuelled cars in 2024 is akin to the tobacco industry lobbying for weakened smoking laws or the asbestos industry lobbying for relaxed building standards. Greenpeace Australia Pacific urges policymakers to be informed and wary of the AAA and friends in their continued lobbying efforts. 

“If Australia’s motoring organisations want to be on the right side of history, they should actively condemn their peak body, the AAA for their negative lobbying and scare campaigns against electric vehicles.

“If the AAA don’t clean up their act, their motoring organisation members should be prepared to quit their membership,” Mr Rafalowicz added.

It comes as Greenpeace called on pro-climate car makers to resign membership of the petrol-pushing Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) – an “irrelevant lobby group” that we believe should be renamed the ‘Full-Throttle Carbon Addicts Institute.

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An extensive media briefing in relation to these FOI documents is below. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021

It comes as Tesla has quit the FCAI because of “demonstrably false” claims that the New Vehicle Efficiency Scheme (NVES) will drive up car prices – with Polestar also reportedly considering suspending its membership to the petrol car lobby today.

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz:

“Today Greenpeace Australia Pacific calls on all car companies that support an effective New Vehicle Efficiency Standard to suspend their FCAI membership.

‘It has become clear that the FCAI is only interested in representing car brands who want to weaken emissions limits, and it will distort the facts, misuse member data and even fly out expensive consultants from the US to that end – all against the wishes of its broader membership.

“The FCAI is so far out of step with the demands of Australian consumers, who we know want to see cleaner, more affordable electric cars on our roads, sooner. 

“At this point, the FCAI should really be renamed the ‘Full-Throttle Carbon Addicts Institute.

“Car makers that are serious about climate action stand to gain nothing by associating with this increasingly irrelevant lobby group.”

Last month the FCAI released its NVES modelling, suggesting the cost of limits on car pollution could be as high as $38 billion over the first five years – a claim that Greenpeace immediately labelled as “bullshit”.

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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

In response to comments reported in the media today attributed to Toyota Australia’s sales chief, Sean Hanley, Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz said:

“The world is moving rapidly to more efficient vehicles, with targets in place in New Zealand, the EU and the US. The claim that the Australian Government’s proposed limits on car pollution are ‘moving too fast’ is the self-interested whining of a car company which has only just unveiled a fully electric vehicle for sale in this country. Toyota are losing the race to electric vehicles and instead of accelerating, they want to slash everyone else’s tyres along the way. 

“The threat from Toyota executives that they will ‘pass on any price increases to consumers’ instead of trading credits shows absolute contempt for Australians doing it tough in a cost of living crisis. 

“Refusing to trade credits would mean effectively doubling the cost of going over the pollution limit, a decision seemingly made out of spite rather than good business sense.

“In the US, Toyota has not only met all of the pollution limits in place but have surplus credits – so why does the U.S. get efficient vehicles, but Australians are not good enough for them?

“Toyota’s strategy around the world has been exactly the same when it comes to rules limiting car pollution: delay, delay, delay. 

“Australians are right to be skeptical of a company which just last month was raided by Japanese police following allegations that they were cheating emissions tests.”

Additional information

Toyota’s comments follow a damning report released yesterday from the U.S.-based Public Citizen, alleging the company greenwashes and misconstrues data in its latest report on climate policies globally.

Greenpeace’s ‘Toyota Files: The dirty secret behind Australia’s most trusted carmaker’ report steps out the car importer’s history of anti-climate lobbying in Australia and across the globe.

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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

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