Claims by one of Australia’s biggest gas companies that it could slash emissions were not misleading, a judge has ruled in dismissing a greenwashing case against the firm. [some emphasis, links added]
The Federal Court on Tuesday found Santos did not breach corporate and consumer law with its representations of environmental goals.
Justice Brigitte Markovic’s full reasons for making the decision will not be published for nearly a week to give Santos time to redact sensitive material.
The case was brought by the advocacy organisation Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility in 2021.
It challenged claims by Santos that natural gas provided “clean energy” and that the company had a “credible and clear plan” to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
The shareholder advocacy group’s lawyers alleged the energy company’s descriptions of blue hydrogen as “clean” and “zero emissions” were misleading.
Blue hydrogen is a fuel created using gas that relies on carbon capture technologies to deal with the emissions.
The company’s defence lawyers rejected allegations its climate goals lacked credibility, arguing they were always targets, not promises, and claimed the “clean” hydrogen fuel label was used only when accompanied by carbon credits.
Read rest at InDaily South Australia
Good to hear Santos was cleared. Santos had many leases, in South Australia and the Northern Territory. In the Gidgealpa area of north-east SA, Delhi – an American oil company – provided the funds for a seismic survey. The survey company, United Geophysical Corp.- long since out of business. I was working there with UGC when the first producing gas well was drilled.
Memories of the 1960’s flood back. In six years with UGC I finished up working in or living in, five different countries. Educational! [Was not allowed to ‘work’ in Singapore. An ‘aside’: Did get married there to a gal I met in the US. We’re still together.]