Oil and Gas: Judge dismisses ACCR greenwashing claim against Santos
A Federal Court judge has dismissed claims that Adelaide energy company Santos had green-washed its net zero target and the impact of gas.
A Federal Court judge has dismissed claims that Adelaide energy company Santos had green-washed its net zero target and the impact of gas.
The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility launched the lawsuit under Consumer Law in 2021 arguing the ASX-listed company had been misleading in its reporting and investor briefings.
ACCR challenged Santos’ claim that the company produced clean energy, that hydrogen backed by carbon capture was “zero emissions”, and that there was a credible pathway to reach net zero by 2040.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Justice Brigitte Markovic dismissed those claims on Tuesday and ordered ACCR — a non-profit advocacy group — to pay the costs.
Her reasons will not be public until next week.
Santos had reportedly argued the climate goals were “targets” rather than promises and claims of clean fuel had only been made when projects were backed with carbon credits.
A Santos spokeswoman welcomed the decision and noted more than 85 per cent of shareholders had last year backed the company’s climate plan.
She pointed to the Moomba carbon capture and storage project in South Australia as an example of the company’s work to reduce emissions.
“Moomba CCS has been up and running since September 2024. It’s one of the largest and lowest cost CCS projects in the world with capacity to inject up to 1.7 million tonnes per year of CO2e for safe and permanent storage in the same geological reservoirs that held oil and gas in place for tens of millions of years.”
AACR chief Brynn O’Brien said the lobby group would “consider our options”, leaving open the door to an appeal.
“This was a landmark case that paved the way for others around the world to challenge corporate net zero claims in court,” she said.
“It has been a David versus Goliath battle and Goliath won this round.
“While the Court found that Santos’ conduct was insufficient to breach the law, the case has shone a powerful spotlight on how Santos’ plans were developed and used to secure market advantage.”
Santos also won an Environmental Defenders Office lawsuit seeking to overturn the approval of the Barossa gas project in 2024.
The company will report its financial results on Wednesday.
Gas exports account for about 8 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions, adding to global warming.
Originally published on The Nightly
