Latest news with #NSWFederalCourt
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Parent Group Challenges Energy Giant Over Carbon Claims
A parent group with more than 20,000 members will challenge one of Australia's largest energy companies in court over claims it misled customers about emissions from its products. Representatives from EnergyAustralia will appear in the NSW Federal Court on May 14 to defend the lawsuit filed by Parents for Climate in August 2023. The group claims the company misled more than 400,000 customers using its Go Neutral products, which EnergyAustralia allegedly marketed as 'carbon neutral' due to the purchase of offsets, and claimed consumers would have a 'positive impact on the environment' by purchasing them. But Parents for Climate will argue EnergyAustralia's claims were misleading and deceptive, Chief Executive Nic Seton said, in a lawsuit that will become the first greenwashing case launched against an energy firm in Australia. 'It's one of the most ambitious things that our organisation has ever done,' he told AAP. 'It's an Australian first in that no other product has been tested on these grounds of making carbon-neutral claims based on offsets.' Related Stories 4/21/2025 5/13/2025 The charity, represented by Equity Generation Lawyers, will seek a declaration that EnergyAustralia misled customers about greenhouse gas emissions, a corrective statement to customers, and restrictions on its future marketing. Australia's rules about environmental claims, including 'If we're successful, this could not just change the behaviour of this particular company but send a really clear signal to all companies in Australia who market their products with these sorts of climate claims,' he said. 'Our own analysis of energy companies here in Australia is that this practice is quite common and does need to change.' EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral products for new customers in November but a spokesperson for the company said it was committed to offering customers clean energy solutions. 'We have been working closely with Parents for Climate over the last number of months,' the spokesperson said. 'We remain optimistic we can resolve this issue together.' EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-highest emitter in 2023-2024, according to The company is one of Australia's largest energy retailers, with 1.6 million customers, and operates two coal-fired and four gas-fired power plants across NSW, Victoria, and South Australia. Earlier this year, EnergyAustralia recommitted to closing its Yallourn coal-fired power station in Victoria by 2028 as part of its 2050 net-zero target.
The Advertiser
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Carbon offsets set aside following greenwashing lawsuit
One of Australia's largest energy firms has issued an apology to more than 400,000 customers, acknowledging that carbon offsets "do not prevent or undo harms" caused by burning fossil fuels. EnergyAustralia issued the statement early on Monday following a lawsuit launched by Parents for Climate that had been scheduled to be heard in the NSW Federal Court on Wednesday last week. The group, with more than 20,000 members, called EnergyAustralia's acknowledgement a win for Australian consumers but said it could also set a standard for the use of carbon offsets and environmentally friendly marketing by other companies. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claimed the energy generator and retailer misled customers using its Go Neutral products that were marketed as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of carbon offsets and claimed consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment". In its statement, EnergyAustralia apologised to customers who felt the marketing claims were unclear and acknowledged carbon offsets did not reverse environmental harm. "While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use," the statement said. "Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use still contribute to climate change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral plans from the market in 2024, and chief customer officer Kate Gibson said the company would focus on direct efforts to reduce emissions in future. "Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise," she said. The energy giant's acknowledgement should herald a fresh approach to the use of carbon offsets in Australia, Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said, as greenwashing had become too common. "Parents have spent too long trying to make careful, considered decisions about where their money goes, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, but corporate greenwashing has pushed them off track," he said. "This isn't just about EnergyAustralia – it's about holding companies to a higher standard across the board." Australian regulations for corporate environmental claims were not strong enough, Mr Seton said, and the government should consider ending Climate Active carbon neutral certification that had been under review since October 2023. The outcome of the court case could set a standard for corporate environmental claims in Australia, Equity Generation Lawyers principal lawyer David Hertzberg, who represented the charity, said. "Today's outcome is a watershed moment in greenwashing litigation in Australia," he said. EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-largest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and has more than 1.6 million customers. One of Australia's largest energy firms has issued an apology to more than 400,000 customers, acknowledging that carbon offsets "do not prevent or undo harms" caused by burning fossil fuels. EnergyAustralia issued the statement early on Monday following a lawsuit launched by Parents for Climate that had been scheduled to be heard in the NSW Federal Court on Wednesday last week. The group, with more than 20,000 members, called EnergyAustralia's acknowledgement a win for Australian consumers but said it could also set a standard for the use of carbon offsets and environmentally friendly marketing by other companies. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claimed the energy generator and retailer misled customers using its Go Neutral products that were marketed as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of carbon offsets and claimed consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment". In its statement, EnergyAustralia apologised to customers who felt the marketing claims were unclear and acknowledged carbon offsets did not reverse environmental harm. "While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use," the statement said. "Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use still contribute to climate change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral plans from the market in 2024, and chief customer officer Kate Gibson said the company would focus on direct efforts to reduce emissions in future. "Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise," she said. The energy giant's acknowledgement should herald a fresh approach to the use of carbon offsets in Australia, Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said, as greenwashing had become too common. "Parents have spent too long trying to make careful, considered decisions about where their money goes, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, but corporate greenwashing has pushed them off track," he said. "This isn't just about EnergyAustralia – it's about holding companies to a higher standard across the board." Australian regulations for corporate environmental claims were not strong enough, Mr Seton said, and the government should consider ending Climate Active carbon neutral certification that had been under review since October 2023. The outcome of the court case could set a standard for corporate environmental claims in Australia, Equity Generation Lawyers principal lawyer David Hertzberg, who represented the charity, said. "Today's outcome is a watershed moment in greenwashing litigation in Australia," he said. EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-largest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and has more than 1.6 million customers. One of Australia's largest energy firms has issued an apology to more than 400,000 customers, acknowledging that carbon offsets "do not prevent or undo harms" caused by burning fossil fuels. EnergyAustralia issued the statement early on Monday following a lawsuit launched by Parents for Climate that had been scheduled to be heard in the NSW Federal Court on Wednesday last week. The group, with more than 20,000 members, called EnergyAustralia's acknowledgement a win for Australian consumers but said it could also set a standard for the use of carbon offsets and environmentally friendly marketing by other companies. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claimed the energy generator and retailer misled customers using its Go Neutral products that were marketed as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of carbon offsets and claimed consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment". In its statement, EnergyAustralia apologised to customers who felt the marketing claims were unclear and acknowledged carbon offsets did not reverse environmental harm. "While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use," the statement said. "Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use still contribute to climate change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral plans from the market in 2024, and chief customer officer Kate Gibson said the company would focus on direct efforts to reduce emissions in future. "Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise," she said. The energy giant's acknowledgement should herald a fresh approach to the use of carbon offsets in Australia, Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said, as greenwashing had become too common. "Parents have spent too long trying to make careful, considered decisions about where their money goes, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, but corporate greenwashing has pushed them off track," he said. "This isn't just about EnergyAustralia – it's about holding companies to a higher standard across the board." Australian regulations for corporate environmental claims were not strong enough, Mr Seton said, and the government should consider ending Climate Active carbon neutral certification that had been under review since October 2023. The outcome of the court case could set a standard for corporate environmental claims in Australia, Equity Generation Lawyers principal lawyer David Hertzberg, who represented the charity, said. "Today's outcome is a watershed moment in greenwashing litigation in Australia," he said. EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-largest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and has more than 1.6 million customers. One of Australia's largest energy firms has issued an apology to more than 400,000 customers, acknowledging that carbon offsets "do not prevent or undo harms" caused by burning fossil fuels. EnergyAustralia issued the statement early on Monday following a lawsuit launched by Parents for Climate that had been scheduled to be heard in the NSW Federal Court on Wednesday last week. The group, with more than 20,000 members, called EnergyAustralia's acknowledgement a win for Australian consumers but said it could also set a standard for the use of carbon offsets and environmentally friendly marketing by other companies. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claimed the energy generator and retailer misled customers using its Go Neutral products that were marketed as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of carbon offsets and claimed consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment". In its statement, EnergyAustralia apologised to customers who felt the marketing claims were unclear and acknowledged carbon offsets did not reverse environmental harm. "While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use," the statement said. "Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use still contribute to climate change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral plans from the market in 2024, and chief customer officer Kate Gibson said the company would focus on direct efforts to reduce emissions in future. "Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise," she said. The energy giant's acknowledgement should herald a fresh approach to the use of carbon offsets in Australia, Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said, as greenwashing had become too common. "Parents have spent too long trying to make careful, considered decisions about where their money goes, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, but corporate greenwashing has pushed them off track," he said. "This isn't just about EnergyAustralia – it's about holding companies to a higher standard across the board." Australian regulations for corporate environmental claims were not strong enough, Mr Seton said, and the government should consider ending Climate Active carbon neutral certification that had been under review since October 2023. The outcome of the court case could set a standard for corporate environmental claims in Australia, Equity Generation Lawyers principal lawyer David Hertzberg, who represented the charity, said. "Today's outcome is a watershed moment in greenwashing litigation in Australia," he said. EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-largest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and has more than 1.6 million customers.
West Australian
18-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Carbon offsets set aside following greenwashing lawsuit
One of Australia's largest energy firms has issued an apology to more than 400,000 customers, acknowledging that carbon offsets "do not prevent or undo harms" caused by burning fossil fuels. EnergyAustralia issued the statement early on Monday following a lawsuit launched by Parents for Climate that had been scheduled to be heard in the NSW Federal Court on Wednesday last week. The group, with more than 20,000 members, called EnergyAustralia's acknowledgement a win for Australian consumers but said it could also set a standard for the use of carbon offsets and environmentally friendly marketing by other companies. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claimed the energy generator and retailer misled customers using its Go Neutral products that were marketed as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of carbon offsets and claimed consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment". In its statement , EnergyAustralia apologised to customers who felt the marketing claims were unclear and acknowledged carbon offsets did not reverse environmental harm. "While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use," the statement said. "Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use still contribute to climate change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral plans from the market in 2024, and chief customer officer Kate Gibson said the company would focus on direct efforts to reduce emissions in future. "Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise," she said. The energy giant's acknowledgement should herald a fresh approach to the use of carbon offsets in Australia, Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said, as greenwashing had become too common. "Parents have spent too long trying to make careful, considered decisions about where their money goes, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, but corporate greenwashing has pushed them off track," he said. "This isn't just about EnergyAustralia ? it's about holding companies to a higher standard across the board." Australian regulations for corporate environmental claims were not strong enough, Mr Seton said, and the government should consider ending Climate Active carbon neutral certification that had been under review since October 2023. The outcome of the court case could set a standard for corporate environmental claims in Australia, Equity Generation Lawyers principal lawyer David Hertzberg, who represented the charity, said. "Today's outcome is a watershed moment in greenwashing litigation in Australia," he said. EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-largest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and has more than 1.6 million customers.
Perth Now
18-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Carbon offsets set aside following greenwashing lawsuit
One of Australia's largest energy firms has issued an apology to more than 400,000 customers, acknowledging that carbon offsets "do not prevent or undo harms" caused by burning fossil fuels. EnergyAustralia issued the statement early on Monday following a lawsuit launched by Parents for Climate that had been scheduled to be heard in the NSW Federal Court on Wednesday last week. The group, with more than 20,000 members, called EnergyAustralia's acknowledgement a win for Australian consumers but said it could also set a standard for the use of carbon offsets and environmentally friendly marketing by other companies. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claimed the energy generator and retailer misled customers using its Go Neutral products that were marketed as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of carbon offsets and claimed consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment". In its statement, EnergyAustralia apologised to customers who felt the marketing claims were unclear and acknowledged carbon offsets did not reverse environmental harm. "While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use," the statement said. "Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use still contribute to climate change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral plans from the market in 2024, and chief customer officer Kate Gibson said the company would focus on direct efforts to reduce emissions in future. "Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise," she said. The energy giant's acknowledgement should herald a fresh approach to the use of carbon offsets in Australia, Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said, as greenwashing had become too common. "Parents have spent too long trying to make careful, considered decisions about where their money goes, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, but corporate greenwashing has pushed them off track," he said. "This isn't just about EnergyAustralia – it's about holding companies to a higher standard across the board." Australian regulations for corporate environmental claims were not strong enough, Mr Seton said, and the government should consider ending Climate Active carbon neutral certification that had been under review since October 2023. The outcome of the court case could set a standard for corporate environmental claims in Australia, Equity Generation Lawyers principal lawyer David Hertzberg, who represented the charity, said. "Today's outcome is a watershed moment in greenwashing litigation in Australia," he said. EnergyAustralia ranked as Australia's third-largest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and has more than 1.6 million customers.
The Advertiser
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Parents, energy company settle over greenwashing claims
A parent activist group has reached a settlement with one of Australia's largest energy companies after mounting a court challenge claiming customers were misled about greenhouse gas emissions. Parents for Climate was set to claim in the NSW Federal Court that EnergyAustralia misled more than 400,000 customers using its Go Neutral products. It was claimed the company marketed the products as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of offsets, saying consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment" by purchasing them. But the court was told on Thursday the parent group would file to discontinue proceedings as a settlement had been reached between the parties, with a statement on the agreement to be issued on Monday. Parents for Climate has more than 20,000 members. The lawsuit would have been the first greenwashing case launched against an energy firm in Australia. The charity, represented by Equity Generation Lawyers, was seeking a declaration that EnergyAustralia misled customers about greenhouse gas emissions, a corrective statement to customers and restrictions on its future marketing. Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said Australia's rules on environmental claims, including guidance issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, were not strong enough to prevent greenwashing. "Our own analysis of energy companies here in Australia is that this practice is quite common and does need to change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral products for new customers in November, but a spokesperson for the company said it was committed to offering customers clean energy solutions. The company is one of Australia's largest energy retailers, with 1.6 million customers, and operates two coal-fired and four gas-fired power plants across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. It ranked as Australia's third-highest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and produced 16.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The Australia Institute said the federal government was failing to protect consumers and businesses from misleading claims and harmful practices. It said the government promoted carbon offsetting and certified claims of "carbon neutrality" by big emitters through its Climate Active scheme. The institute has filed a complaint with the consumer watchdog saying Climate Active may be misleading and deceptive under consumer law. A parent activist group has reached a settlement with one of Australia's largest energy companies after mounting a court challenge claiming customers were misled about greenhouse gas emissions. Parents for Climate was set to claim in the NSW Federal Court that EnergyAustralia misled more than 400,000 customers using its Go Neutral products. It was claimed the company marketed the products as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of offsets, saying consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment" by purchasing them. But the court was told on Thursday the parent group would file to discontinue proceedings as a settlement had been reached between the parties, with a statement on the agreement to be issued on Monday. Parents for Climate has more than 20,000 members. The lawsuit would have been the first greenwashing case launched against an energy firm in Australia. The charity, represented by Equity Generation Lawyers, was seeking a declaration that EnergyAustralia misled customers about greenhouse gas emissions, a corrective statement to customers and restrictions on its future marketing. Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said Australia's rules on environmental claims, including guidance issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, were not strong enough to prevent greenwashing. "Our own analysis of energy companies here in Australia is that this practice is quite common and does need to change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral products for new customers in November, but a spokesperson for the company said it was committed to offering customers clean energy solutions. The company is one of Australia's largest energy retailers, with 1.6 million customers, and operates two coal-fired and four gas-fired power plants across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. It ranked as Australia's third-highest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and produced 16.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The Australia Institute said the federal government was failing to protect consumers and businesses from misleading claims and harmful practices. It said the government promoted carbon offsetting and certified claims of "carbon neutrality" by big emitters through its Climate Active scheme. The institute has filed a complaint with the consumer watchdog saying Climate Active may be misleading and deceptive under consumer law. A parent activist group has reached a settlement with one of Australia's largest energy companies after mounting a court challenge claiming customers were misled about greenhouse gas emissions. Parents for Climate was set to claim in the NSW Federal Court that EnergyAustralia misled more than 400,000 customers using its Go Neutral products. It was claimed the company marketed the products as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of offsets, saying consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment" by purchasing them. But the court was told on Thursday the parent group would file to discontinue proceedings as a settlement had been reached between the parties, with a statement on the agreement to be issued on Monday. Parents for Climate has more than 20,000 members. The lawsuit would have been the first greenwashing case launched against an energy firm in Australia. The charity, represented by Equity Generation Lawyers, was seeking a declaration that EnergyAustralia misled customers about greenhouse gas emissions, a corrective statement to customers and restrictions on its future marketing. Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said Australia's rules on environmental claims, including guidance issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, were not strong enough to prevent greenwashing. "Our own analysis of energy companies here in Australia is that this practice is quite common and does need to change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral products for new customers in November, but a spokesperson for the company said it was committed to offering customers clean energy solutions. The company is one of Australia's largest energy retailers, with 1.6 million customers, and operates two coal-fired and four gas-fired power plants across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. It ranked as Australia's third-highest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and produced 16.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The Australia Institute said the federal government was failing to protect consumers and businesses from misleading claims and harmful practices. It said the government promoted carbon offsetting and certified claims of "carbon neutrality" by big emitters through its Climate Active scheme. The institute has filed a complaint with the consumer watchdog saying Climate Active may be misleading and deceptive under consumer law. A parent activist group has reached a settlement with one of Australia's largest energy companies after mounting a court challenge claiming customers were misled about greenhouse gas emissions. Parents for Climate was set to claim in the NSW Federal Court that EnergyAustralia misled more than 400,000 customers using its Go Neutral products. It was claimed the company marketed the products as "carbon neutral" due to the purchase of offsets, saying consumers would have a "positive impact on the environment" by purchasing them. But the court was told on Thursday the parent group would file to discontinue proceedings as a settlement had been reached between the parties, with a statement on the agreement to be issued on Monday. Parents for Climate has more than 20,000 members. The lawsuit would have been the first greenwashing case launched against an energy firm in Australia. The charity, represented by Equity Generation Lawyers, was seeking a declaration that EnergyAustralia misled customers about greenhouse gas emissions, a corrective statement to customers and restrictions on its future marketing. Parents for Climate chief executive Nic Seton said Australia's rules on environmental claims, including guidance issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, were not strong enough to prevent greenwashing. "Our own analysis of energy companies here in Australia is that this practice is quite common and does need to change." EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral products for new customers in November, but a spokesperson for the company said it was committed to offering customers clean energy solutions. The company is one of Australia's largest energy retailers, with 1.6 million customers, and operates two coal-fired and four gas-fired power plants across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. It ranked as Australia's third-highest emitter in 2023-2024, according to statistics from the Clean Energy Regulator, and produced 16.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The Australia Institute said the federal government was failing to protect consumers and businesses from misleading claims and harmful practices. It said the government promoted carbon offsetting and certified claims of "carbon neutrality" by big emitters through its Climate Active scheme. The institute has filed a complaint with the consumer watchdog saying Climate Active may be misleading and deceptive under consumer law.
