By Lewis Jackson
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Greenpeace Australia said on Thursday it had filed a lawsuit against the country’s largest oil and gas company Woodside Energy alleging it deceived the public over its green credentials.
The suit filed in the Federal Court of Australia overnight alleged the company’s statement that it cut direct emissions by 11% was deceptive because the reduction was due to the “heavy use” of carbon offsets. Actual emissions rose 3%, Greenpeace alleged.
Woodside also misrepresented its net zero by 2050 plan by excluding emissions produced when customers burn its fuels, the lawsuit alleges.
Woodside did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Woodside is treating the Australian public and its shareholders like mugs,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter said in a statement.
“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.”
Greenpeace wants the court to rule Woodside engaged in greenwashing and require it to amend its claims, desist from similar ones in the future and pay legal costs, according to a spokesperson.
Environmental and indigenous groups are waging a series of legal and direct action campaigns against Woodside to stop its proposed $12 billion Scarborough gas project in north western Australia.
Police arrested four people outside CEO Meg O’Neill’s house in August and have subsequently charged them over a planned protest against the company’s expansion plans.
Greenpeace activists last week scaled a 140-metre (459 ft)crane outside the company’s headquarters and unfurled a giant banner reading “Stop Woodside”.
This court action comes days after Woodside announced talks about a merger with smaller rival Santos, itself the target of legal action from environmental and indigenous groups that has frozen progress on its planned $3.6 billion Barossa gas project.
(Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Sonali Paul)
