Santos to provide assumptions for net zero in greenwashing case
Santos must provide written statements by November 24 on the key evidence and assumptions behind its emissions reduction targets as part of preparations for a landmark court case over allegations of greenwashing, likely to take place next year.
The order from Justice Michael Lee came as the oil and gas producer and the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility clashed on Friday over the kind of experts that should be used to help assess the issues at stake in a case management hearing in the Federal Court over the allegations.
Santos is facing opposition to several fossil fuel projects, including its Barossa gas project in the Timor Sea. Tamati Smith/Getty
The activist shareholder group ACCR is alleging Santos breached corporations and consumer laws by engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct relating to its “clean energy” claims and its plan to reach net zero emissions.
The ACCR, which launched the legal action in August 2021, says the court case is the first in the world to challenge the veracity of a company’s net zero emissions plan.
It is arguing that Santos’ plan to reach net zero emissions is misleading because it relies on offsets rather than actual cuts in direct emissions from the company’s oil and gas operations.
The case comes as Santos has come increasingly under attack from environmental groups for its climate strategy and its continuing pursuit of growth in oil and gas, which some say cannot be reconciled with the goals of the Paris climate accord.
The ACCR is also disputing claims by Santos that “blue” hydrogen – which involves hydrogen produced using natural gas with carbon capture and storage to neutralise CO2 emissions – is “clean” or “zero emissions”. The ACCR says blue hydrogen production
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