GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION – AUSTRALIA

Paris on radar in green surge

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Graham Lloyd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 24-Oct-19

Research by the Australian National University has spent 11 times the global average on renewable energy in recent years. The researcher conclude that the nation will be able to meet its Paris emissions reduction targets without needing to use Kyoto carryover credits if this level of investment is sustained. The ANU researchers also forecast that Australia’s carbon emissions will fall by 3-4 per cent between 2020 and 2022 as a result of the investment in renewables.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

BHP dumps coal for green energy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 19 : 22-Oct-19

BHP has secured four contracts to supply renewable energy to its Escondida and Spence copper mines in Chile for 15 years. BHP’s 2019-20 half-year accounts will include a $US780m ($1.14bn) provision associated with the cancellation of existing coal supply contracts. The company estimates that the new contracts will displace about three million tonnes of carbon each year from 2022 and reduce energy prices at the two mines by around 20 per cent. BHP recently committed to spending $US400m over five years to minimise climate risks.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COAL21, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Low-carbon future will arrive within a decade: APRA exec

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 15-Oct-19

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority executive board member Geoff Summerhayes says the transition to low-carbon energy will occur more quickly than has been forecast, most likely by 2030. Summerhayes has told a conference organised by the Investor Group on Climate Change that there needs to be more honest discussions about the ‘existential nature’ of climate change, and that the transition to a low-carbon future will have impacts that will not be equal across the Australian economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, INVESTOR GROUP ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Labor climate policy put fear of God in people and alienated blue-collar base

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 7 : 15-Oct-19

Cathy O’Toole lost the Queensland seat of Herbert at the 18 May federal election; it was the only seat in central and north Queensland that Labor lost in a dismal performance in the state. O’Toole says Labor must rethink its climate change policy in the wake of the election loss, arguing that the policy had alienated Labor’s traditional blue-collar voter base. She has ruled out contesting the seat at the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Denialists are to blame for high power bills: Turnbull

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Troy Bramston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 8-Oct-19

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says the federal government’s lack of a ‘­coherent’ national energy policy has resulted in higher electricity prices in Australia and higher greenhouse gas emissions. He has also accused the Liberal Party of having been influenced by a group that is "denialist and reactionary" on the issue of climate change. Turnbull contends that Robert Menzies regarded the Liberal Party as being ‘genuinely progressive’ rather than a ‘conventional conservative party’. He argues that the term ‘conservative’ has lost its true meaning.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

A narrow majority of Australians want to develop nuclear power to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Oct-19

A special online Roy Morgan survey conducted in mid-September shows that 51% (up 16% since July 2011) of respondents say Australia should develop nuclear power to reduce the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions. Some 34% (down 24%) say Australia should not do so, while 15% (up 8%) can’t say. However, without the reference to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, only 45% (up 11% since March 2011) of respondents say Australia should develop nuclear power plants to supply electricity, while 40% (down 21%) say Australia should not, and 15% (up 10%) can’t say. This special online survey on Australian attitudes to Global Warming was conducted from September 11-15, 2019 with an Australia-wide sample of 1,006 Australians aged 18-64 years old.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Sector in race to zero emissions by 2050

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Liz Main
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 40 : 25-Sep-19

New research has examined how committed Australian property groups are to becoming carbon neutral. The report, which was produced by Monash University and ClimateWorks Australia, shows that 47.5 per cent of property groups are taking measures to achieve the 2050 target of net zero emissions. However, the report notes that some companies are excluding indirect emissions, such as those generated by tenants of their buildings. Meanwhile, several listed groups have set a net zero emissions target of 2030.

CORPORATES
MONASH UNIVERSITY, CLIMATEWORKS PTY LTD, DEXUS – ASX DXS, MIRVAC GROUP – ASX MGR, GPT GROUP – ASX GPT, VIVA ENERGY REIT – ASX VVR, TOGA PTY LTD

LNG projects not so polluting: CSIRO

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 29-Jul-19

Greenhouse gas emissions created by coal seam gas LNG projects in Queensland are not as high as previously thought, according to a report to be released by the CSIRO on 29 July. The CSIRO also states that Australia’s carbon emissions could be significantly reduced if the gas produced by Queensland’s LNG projects was used to generate electricity in Australia, rather than exported. However, this is on the proviso that it replaces existing coal-fired power generation.

CORPORATES
CSIRO

Rivals baulk at BHP’s carbon push

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 & 27 : 25-Jul-19

Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association CEO Andrew McConville says the resources sector should be solely responsible for addressing its scope 3 emissions, and government intervention is not necessary. The issue has been highlighted by BHP’s move to address carbon emissions across its supply chain, including those generated by the buyers of its commodities. Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher has also argued that regulators should not be involved in setting targets for scope 3 emissions.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, GLENCORE PLC, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, DELOITTE ENERGY TRANSITION, CLIMATE ACTION 100+

BHP’s carbon hard line

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Hans van Leeuwen, Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 26 : 24-Jul-19

BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie has revealed that the resources group will set targets for its so-called scope 3 carbon emissions as part of a broader strategy to reduce its impact on the environment. He says BHP must take a "product stewardship role" with regard to the emissions across its supply chain, including the emissions generated by the buyers of its commodities. Mackenzie also announced that BHP will spend some $US400m on a climate investment program that will aim to decarbonise its global operations.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, VICSUPER PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED