Fossil fuel and ‘greenwashing’ and how dangerous it is.

At COP28 – No wonder the Pacific Island states are frustrated. They are at the frontline of climate change.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Representatives of Pacific Island states expressed frustration and disappointment at the final outcome of the COP28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates, saying they were left out of the plenary room when the concluding deal was decided.

Amnesty International said “For COP to allow in thousands of representatives -2456 at least – of the fossil fuel industry, which is making vast profits for a wealthy few while trashing the climate for everyone, perverts the very rationale of a meeting whose purpose is to protect the climate and people from further harm’.

In Australia – we have our Fossil fuel corporations pouring money into advertising saying that they are ‘part of the solution’. One of them is Woodside.

Letter from the Environmental Defenders Office. Dear Erica Last night our client, Greenpeace, launched a major “greenwashing” case in the Federal Court against Australia’s biggest energy company, Woodside.  Greenpeace alleges that the fossil fuel giant has been misleading and deceiving Australians about the enormous climate harm of its gas and oil projects.  Woodside claims that it cut down on emissions produced from extracting and processing its gas and oil by 11 per cent in 2022. In reality, it relied heavily on carbon offsets and its actual emissions went up by more than 3 per cent.   Woodside also publicly claims to have a plan to achieve net zero by 2050.   Yet it fails to mention its target doesn’t apply to Scope 3 emissions which make up over 90 per cent of Woodside’s carbon pollution.  Not only that, but instead of cutting down on its pollution, Woodside is actively ramping up its fossil fuel production with new gas projects like the Burrup Hub in Western Australia – the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia.  [The Scarborough Project is in some of the important pristine areas. Australia’s ‘petroleum regulator’, without giving reasons will let them begin seismic drilling testing this month!] Net zero is entirely incompatible with continued investment in fossil fuels, and our client says Woodside must be held to account for these allegedly deceptive and misleading claims.  “Woodside is treating the Australian public and its shareholders like mugs,” says Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter.  “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.”  Greenwashing is on the rise, undermining our efforts to tackle the climate crisis at a time when it matters most.   That’s why EDO’s Safe Climate team run groundbreaking litigation on behalf of clients to hold Australia’s biggest polluters to account for their environmental impact.  In 2021, EDO launched legal action against Santos over its claims that fossil gas is a “clean fuel” and that it has a “clear and credible” pathway to reach net zero by 2040 while expanding fossil fuel production.  It was the first greenwashing case in Australia against a major gas industry player, and the first in the world to challenge the truthfulness of a company’s net zero emissions target.  [ It appears also possible that Woodside and Santos are planning to merge!]   Net zero and clean energy claims by the fossil fuel industry are the new form of climate denial.    As climate action becomes more urgent, major polluters like Woodside and Santos are seeking to convince the public that they have plans to cut carbon pollution while pushing for a massive expansion of fossil fuels across Australia and internationally.    Greenwashing isn’t just a harmless branding tactic.   It keeps money flowing into harmful coal and gas projects and threatens any hope we have of cutting pollution in time to avoid climate catastrophe.    Our window of opportunity to interrogate the claims of fossil fuel companies, stop corporate greenwashing and transition out of these industries is closing fast.    That’s why we’re taking legal action.   Our client’s case against Woodside could require fossil fuel companies to be up front about the climate consequences of their business plans.  Thank you for helping to use the law to tackle greenwashing and hold corporate polluters like Woodside to account on climate.  Kirsty Ruddock  Managing Lawyer, Environmental Defenders Office.

I wonder how ‘greenwashing’ is working on the other side of the equator.