MEDIA ALERT: 2024 WOODSIDE AGM, APRIL 24, 2024
DETAILS:
- Protesters will gather at 8.45am on Wednesday April 24 at Kagoshima Park at the main entrance to Crown Casino, corner of Bolton Avenue and Great Eastern Hwy, Burswood, Perth.
- Press conference will commence at 9.20am.
- Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O’Shanassy, Conservation Council of Western Australia Executive Director Jess Beckerling, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Acting CEO Kate Smolksi and Martin Pritchard Director of Strategy at Environs Kimberley are all available for interview.
- Will van de Pol, CEO of clean finance advocacy organisation Market Forces is also available for interview.
- At 9.40am protestors will march with a police escort up to the entrance of Crown Casino ahead of the Woodside AGM starting at 10.00am.
- Spokespeople are also available after the AGM for comment on developments.
For interviews and any questions please call Geoff Bice who will be on the ground on the day at Crown 0438 910 650.
PRESS RELEASE | EMBARGOED UNTIL 2AM AEST, WEDNESDAY APRIL 24
Australia’s leading environmental organisations will come together on Wednesday 24th April to condemn Woodside’s inaction on climate change and call for the removal of embattled company chair Richard Goyder at the fossil fuel giant’s 2024 Annual General Meeting.
Leaders from Greenpeace Australia Pacific, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), the Conservation Council of WA (CCWA), Market Forces and Environs Kimberley will gather outside the AGM to condemn Woodside’s continued pursuit of new gas developments.
Gas, a fossil fuel, is driving the climate emergency, which is increasingly affecting communities in Australia and around the world.
Woodside has faced fierce criticism of its continued pursuit of new fossil fuel projects, including the Burrup Hub off the northern coast of Western Australia.
The Burrup Hub, Australia’s most polluting new fossil fuel proposal, includes developing the new Scarborough gas field, extending the life of its North West Shelf processing facility and exploiting the high-carbon Browse gas field underneath Scott Reef.
The company is one of Australia’s biggest polluters, responsible for over 82 million tonnes of carbon emissions last year.
Several large institutional investors have indicated that they intend to vote against the re-appointment of current Woodside Chair Richard Goyder at Wednesday’s AGM.
Woodside’s ‘climate plan’, which will also be voted on at the AGM, has been condemned by investor and environmental groups for failing to properly tackle the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The fossil fuel giant continues to allocate the majority of its capital to developing new oil and gas projects
Greenpeace, ACF, CCWA, Market Forces and Environs Kimberley support shareholders efforts to remove Goyder and to reject Woodside’s inadequate and woeful ‘climate plan’.
Australian Conservation Foundation CEO, Kelly O’Shanassy said:
“Woodside’s enormous Burrup Hub gas precinct would be the Southern Hemisphere’s largest gas carbon bomb, with its lifetime climate pollution more than 13 times Australia’s annual emissions from all sources.
“Woodside’s focus on gas growth puts coastal and marine ecosystems at risk, fuels global warming which threatens beautiful coral reefs like Scott Reef and the Great Barrier Reef and delays clean energy opportunities at a time when the world is moving to clean fuels.
“It’s time for shareholders and the Albanese government to take action to prevent Woodside’s Burrup gas hub from proceeding.
“We simply cannot have a liveable climate if companies like Woodside continue to dig up more fossil fuels.”
CCWA Executive Director, Jess Beckerling said
“Woodside Chair Richard Goyder says that the energy transition needs time and trust. We say to Woodside: we’re out of time, and you are not trusted.
“Preventing climate breakdown requires a rapid phase out of fossil fuels, including gas. But Woodside is ignoring the science and putting us all at risk with its plans to develop the Burrup Hub and put a further 6.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
“The WA community will not stand for the destruction of Scott Reef to make way for Woodside’s gas plans and mega profits – the impacts on green turtles, pygmy blue whales and the climate would be catastrophic. The future is in renewables, not new gas.”
Kate Smolski, Acting CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific said:
“Woodside is Australia’s biggest climate threat and we believe they cannot be trusted.
“Woodside’s Burrup Hub is the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia. Its plans to develop the Browse gas field are a huge threat to WA's oceans: drilling 50 gas wells at Scott Reef, home to endangered whales and turtles, and running 900km of pipeline through two marine parks and right past the Rowley Shoals.
“Greenpeace Australia Pacific is currently taking Woodside to the Federal Court for making statements that we believe made investors, governments and the general public think it was reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, when in truth the company’s emissions increased.
“As we’ll see at today’s AGM, Woodside has nowhere to hide.
“Shareholders will be closely scrutinising Woodside’s climate-wrecking plans today. Our Federal Environment Minister should heed these concerns and rule out support for the fossil fuel giant’s climate-wrecking Burrup Hub.”
Martin Pritchard Director of Strategy at Environs Kimberley said:
“Over a decade ago the West Australian community rejected Woodside’s first attempt to drill for oil and gas around Australia’s marine jewel Scott Reef and industrialise the Kimberley coast and we won.
“This time around we could see an oil spill hit the world famous Kimberley coast and we don't want to risk that.
“We’re calling on Woodside to withdraw oil and gas from Scott Reef and start investing in clean, renewable energy so we have a healthy State to live in.”
Will van de Pol CEO, Market Forces said:
"Woodside is steaming ahead with dangerous gas growth, scoffing at the world-record number of shareholders who have already rejected the company’s climate plan."
“Members are demanding their super funds live up to their climate claims and deliver a world worth retiring into by reining in fossil fuel expansion plans.
“All investors including super funds need to hold Woodside’s leadership to account over plans to ramp up emissions that would fuel devastating climate impacts.”
For interviews and any questions please call Geoff Bice who will be on the ground on the day at Crown 0438 910 650.