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Sydney Morning Herald
11-08-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Forget net zero. We need ‘real zero' – and these companies prove it's profitable
We see net zero emissions pledges everywhere, but only 14 per cent of Australians actually understand what net zero means. Who could blame them? Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, the term 'net zero' has been misused and misconstrued. This is largely because it was co-opted by the fossil fuel industry, which has exploited the 'net' in net zero as a loophole to rely on carbon offsets rather than make genuine emissions reductions. Ultimately, net zero has become a benchmark for complacency, and it is failing us. If we want to maintain a livable planet, we need businesses to commit to 'real zero'. That isn't a buzz phrase. It's a climate goal that is exactly what it sounds like: phasing out fossil fuels to reach zero emissions as fast as possible without reliance on offsets – no asterisk and no 'net'. Why do we need it? The recent extension of the North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia is a classic example of how net zero enables greenwashing by fossil fuel companies – Woodside claims to be aiming for 'net zero in our direct emissions by 2050', while also expanding a fossil fuel project that is estimated to produce more emissions per year than the entire country of Ireland. It does not even come close to passing the pub test, let alone a scientific assessment. Net zero greenwashing is eroding public trust in climate action because it's getting too hard to tell which companies are making genuine efforts to decarbonise, and which are not. Climate Integrity, the organisation I lead, recently published a Real Zero Leadership report alongside the University of Technology Sydney, which names IKEA, Fortescue and Lendlease as real zero decarbonisation leaders. The intention was to provide Australia with north-star examples of genuine climate action that is happening right now, at a time when many global businesses are backsliding on commitments. Loading To be clear, Climate Integrity is a proudly not-for-profit climate advocacy organisation, which commissioned and funded this research independently of the 15-plus companies we assessed. We have received funding from none of them. So, why Fortescue, IKEA and Lendlease? Because they're all companies of a significant (and impactful) size, setting ambitious, science-based commitments to phase out fossil fuels earlier than 2050, without relying on carbon offsets. And because if they can do it, others can too. So, what does real zero look like in the real world?
The Age
11-08-2025
- Business
- The Age
Forget net zero. We need ‘real zero' – and these companies prove it's profitable
We see net zero emissions pledges everywhere, but only 14 per cent of Australians actually understand what net zero means. Who could blame them? Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, the term 'net zero' has been misused and misconstrued. This is largely because it was co-opted by the fossil fuel industry, which has exploited the 'net' in net zero as a loophole to rely on carbon offsets rather than make genuine emissions reductions. Ultimately, net zero has become a benchmark for complacency, and it is failing us. If we want to maintain a livable planet, we need businesses to commit to 'real zero'. That isn't a buzz phrase. It's a climate goal that is exactly what it sounds like: phasing out fossil fuels to reach zero emissions as fast as possible without reliance on offsets – no asterisk and no 'net'. Why do we need it? The recent extension of the North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia is a classic example of how net zero enables greenwashing by fossil fuel companies – Woodside claims to be aiming for 'net zero in our direct emissions by 2050', while also expanding a fossil fuel project that is estimated to produce more emissions per year than the entire country of Ireland. It does not even come close to passing the pub test, let alone a scientific assessment. Net zero greenwashing is eroding public trust in climate action because it's getting too hard to tell which companies are making genuine efforts to decarbonise, and which are not. Climate Integrity, the organisation I lead, recently published a Real Zero Leadership report alongside the University of Technology Sydney, which names IKEA, Fortescue and Lendlease as real zero decarbonisation leaders. The intention was to provide Australia with north-star examples of genuine climate action that is happening right now, at a time when many global businesses are backsliding on commitments. Loading To be clear, Climate Integrity is a proudly not-for-profit climate advocacy organisation, which commissioned and funded this research independently of the 15-plus companies we assessed. We have received funding from none of them. So, why Fortescue, IKEA and Lendlease? Because they're all companies of a significant (and impactful) size, setting ambitious, science-based commitments to phase out fossil fuels earlier than 2050, without relying on carbon offsets. And because if they can do it, others can too. So, what does real zero look like in the real world?
The Advertiser
03-06-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
'Serious test' for Greens as senator defects to Labor
The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. West Australian senator Dorinda Cox is quitting the minor party to sit with Labor in the upper house after approaching Anthony Albanese about making the switch. Head of Politics at Monash University Zareh Ghazarian said the loss of another Indigenous senator, following Lidia Thorpe's split with the party in February 2023, spoke to the Greens themselves as a party. "This is the most serious test that the Greens are facing as an organisation," he said. "On the back of a fairly poor election result ... it's really an opportunity for them (Greens) to explore their internal operation, their structures, and how they get them going forward." Dr Ghazarian said the strong growth in support the party had enjoyed came with the challenge of clarifying what it stood for. Mr Albanese, who said Senator Cox's values had become more aligned with those of his government, noted the Greens had previously voted against Labor's legislation to boost housing supply and had drifted from their environmental foundations. "She has come to the view that the Greens political party are not capable of achieving the change that she wants to see in public life, and that's not surprising given that the Greens have lost their way," he told reporters in Perth. Senator Cox, who announced her defection on Monday, will be formally appointed to the Labor Party on Tuesday. The shock announcement represents another setback for the minor party after it lost former leader Adam Bandt when three of its four lower house seats fell to Labor at the election. Greens leader Larissa Waters said she had a "calm and measured" conversation with Senator Cox an hour before her press conference. "There's no animosity there. It's obviously disappointing for us to lose a Greens senator, but Dorinda has said her values lie there," she told ABC News Breakfast. However, Senator Waters appeared to question this while pointing to Labor's decision to extend the North West Shelf gas project off the WA coast, which she said would impact ancient Indigenous rock art. "We've opposed that, but Senator Cox has made her decision that that party is a better fit for her, and we wish her nothing but the best," she said. Senator Cox, a Yamatji-Noongar woman, became the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the Senate when she joined the upper house in 2021 to fill a Greens vacancy. In 2024, she suggested Labor was "not interested" in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. But on Monday, Senator Cox said she felt her values and priorities were better aligned with Labor than the Greens. She was not required to run in the May election after winning a six-year term in 2022. Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service. Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined. Labor will still require the support of either the Greens or the coalition in the Senate to pass legislation. The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. West Australian senator Dorinda Cox is quitting the minor party to sit with Labor in the upper house after approaching Anthony Albanese about making the switch. Head of Politics at Monash University Zareh Ghazarian said the loss of another Indigenous senator, following Lidia Thorpe's split with the party in February 2023, spoke to the Greens themselves as a party. "This is the most serious test that the Greens are facing as an organisation," he said. "On the back of a fairly poor election result ... it's really an opportunity for them (Greens) to explore their internal operation, their structures, and how they get them going forward." Dr Ghazarian said the strong growth in support the party had enjoyed came with the challenge of clarifying what it stood for. Mr Albanese, who said Senator Cox's values had become more aligned with those of his government, noted the Greens had previously voted against Labor's legislation to boost housing supply and had drifted from their environmental foundations. "She has come to the view that the Greens political party are not capable of achieving the change that she wants to see in public life, and that's not surprising given that the Greens have lost their way," he told reporters in Perth. Senator Cox, who announced her defection on Monday, will be formally appointed to the Labor Party on Tuesday. The shock announcement represents another setback for the minor party after it lost former leader Adam Bandt when three of its four lower house seats fell to Labor at the election. Greens leader Larissa Waters said she had a "calm and measured" conversation with Senator Cox an hour before her press conference. "There's no animosity there. It's obviously disappointing for us to lose a Greens senator, but Dorinda has said her values lie there," she told ABC News Breakfast. However, Senator Waters appeared to question this while pointing to Labor's decision to extend the North West Shelf gas project off the WA coast, which she said would impact ancient Indigenous rock art. "We've opposed that, but Senator Cox has made her decision that that party is a better fit for her, and we wish her nothing but the best," she said. Senator Cox, a Yamatji-Noongar woman, became the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the Senate when she joined the upper house in 2021 to fill a Greens vacancy. In 2024, she suggested Labor was "not interested" in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. But on Monday, Senator Cox said she felt her values and priorities were better aligned with Labor than the Greens. She was not required to run in the May election after winning a six-year term in 2022. Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service. Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined. Labor will still require the support of either the Greens or the coalition in the Senate to pass legislation. The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. West Australian senator Dorinda Cox is quitting the minor party to sit with Labor in the upper house after approaching Anthony Albanese about making the switch. Head of Politics at Monash University Zareh Ghazarian said the loss of another Indigenous senator, following Lidia Thorpe's split with the party in February 2023, spoke to the Greens themselves as a party. "This is the most serious test that the Greens are facing as an organisation," he said. "On the back of a fairly poor election result ... it's really an opportunity for them (Greens) to explore their internal operation, their structures, and how they get them going forward." Dr Ghazarian said the strong growth in support the party had enjoyed came with the challenge of clarifying what it stood for. Mr Albanese, who said Senator Cox's values had become more aligned with those of his government, noted the Greens had previously voted against Labor's legislation to boost housing supply and had drifted from their environmental foundations. "She has come to the view that the Greens political party are not capable of achieving the change that she wants to see in public life, and that's not surprising given that the Greens have lost their way," he told reporters in Perth. Senator Cox, who announced her defection on Monday, will be formally appointed to the Labor Party on Tuesday. The shock announcement represents another setback for the minor party after it lost former leader Adam Bandt when three of its four lower house seats fell to Labor at the election. Greens leader Larissa Waters said she had a "calm and measured" conversation with Senator Cox an hour before her press conference. "There's no animosity there. It's obviously disappointing for us to lose a Greens senator, but Dorinda has said her values lie there," she told ABC News Breakfast. However, Senator Waters appeared to question this while pointing to Labor's decision to extend the North West Shelf gas project off the WA coast, which she said would impact ancient Indigenous rock art. "We've opposed that, but Senator Cox has made her decision that that party is a better fit for her, and we wish her nothing but the best," she said. Senator Cox, a Yamatji-Noongar woman, became the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the Senate when she joined the upper house in 2021 to fill a Greens vacancy. In 2024, she suggested Labor was "not interested" in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. But on Monday, Senator Cox said she felt her values and priorities were better aligned with Labor than the Greens. She was not required to run in the May election after winning a six-year term in 2022. Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service. Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined. Labor will still require the support of either the Greens or the coalition in the Senate to pass legislation. The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. West Australian senator Dorinda Cox is quitting the minor party to sit with Labor in the upper house after approaching Anthony Albanese about making the switch. Head of Politics at Monash University Zareh Ghazarian said the loss of another Indigenous senator, following Lidia Thorpe's split with the party in February 2023, spoke to the Greens themselves as a party. "This is the most serious test that the Greens are facing as an organisation," he said. "On the back of a fairly poor election result ... it's really an opportunity for them (Greens) to explore their internal operation, their structures, and how they get them going forward." Dr Ghazarian said the strong growth in support the party had enjoyed came with the challenge of clarifying what it stood for. Mr Albanese, who said Senator Cox's values had become more aligned with those of his government, noted the Greens had previously voted against Labor's legislation to boost housing supply and had drifted from their environmental foundations. "She has come to the view that the Greens political party are not capable of achieving the change that she wants to see in public life, and that's not surprising given that the Greens have lost their way," he told reporters in Perth. Senator Cox, who announced her defection on Monday, will be formally appointed to the Labor Party on Tuesday. The shock announcement represents another setback for the minor party after it lost former leader Adam Bandt when three of its four lower house seats fell to Labor at the election. Greens leader Larissa Waters said she had a "calm and measured" conversation with Senator Cox an hour before her press conference. "There's no animosity there. It's obviously disappointing for us to lose a Greens senator, but Dorinda has said her values lie there," she told ABC News Breakfast. However, Senator Waters appeared to question this while pointing to Labor's decision to extend the North West Shelf gas project off the WA coast, which she said would impact ancient Indigenous rock art. "We've opposed that, but Senator Cox has made her decision that that party is a better fit for her, and we wish her nothing but the best," she said. Senator Cox, a Yamatji-Noongar woman, became the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the Senate when she joined the upper house in 2021 to fill a Greens vacancy. In 2024, she suggested Labor was "not interested" in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. But on Monday, Senator Cox said she felt her values and priorities were better aligned with Labor than the Greens. She was not required to run in the May election after winning a six-year term in 2022. Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service. Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined. Labor will still require the support of either the Greens or the coalition in the Senate to pass legislation.
Sky News AU
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘How does this look?': Greens turn fire on WA senator Dorinda Cox over defection to Labor Party
Defecting Senator Dorinda Cox has been accused of betraying her values and her party after quitting the Greens to join the Labor government. Ms Cox's shock switch came within a week of the AlbAnese government approving the controversial North West Shelf gas project. One Greens source questioned the optics of the move and called into question Ms Cox's motivations. 'How does this look? An Indigenous Green Senator moving over to Labor on the very week that they approved the North West Shelf project which pushes up emissions and is said to threaten Indigenous rock art,' the source said. Ms Cox, who identifies as a Yamatji Noongar woman, previously opposed the gas extension while in the Greens. But since announcing her defection, she has refused to comment on the project's merits, instead citing procedural grounds. 'It wouldn't be for me to make public commentary, particularly during the provisional approval stage,' Ms Cox said at a press conference on Monday. 'My understanding is that Woodside do need to come back to Minister Watt.' The shift follows Ms Cox's loss in a party-room vote for deputy leader to Senator Mehreen Faruqi, by nine votes to three. Labor sources have since characterised Ms Cox's decision as a reaction to 'extremism' in the Greens' policy approach. Her departure reduces the Greens to 10 senators and hands Labor a 29-member bloc in the upper house. Ms Cox has been a controversial figure within the Greens, having faced allegations of bullying from former staff members. However, the Labor Party has confidence that it thoroughly examined these allegations before approving her admission to the party. Ms Cox was also caught up in pro-Palestinian activism in 2024, saying she supported the slogan 'from the river to the sea', which Mr Albanese has condemned. 'I do support and have participated in the change from the river to the sea,' Ms Cox told Sky News in May 2024. "We are urging the government to step up their action to condemn Israel about its actions in Gaza," she said. "And I think that we will continue to chant 'from the river to the sea' to ensure that freedom and peace are delivered. "And I don't have any objection to that." Ms Cox denied knowledge of the origins of the phrase, a term which was used by Khaled Mashal, the founder and former leader of Hamas. Mr Albanese has welcomed Ms Cox into the Labor caucus, stressing she understood the expectations of party discipline. 'Dorinda Cox understands that being a member of the Labor Party means that she will support positions that are made by the Labor Party,' he said on Tuesday. Ms Cox was first appointed to the Senate in 2021 to fill a casual Greens vacancy and was re-elected in 2022. She was previously a Labor branch member before switching parties under the mentorship of then-Greens Senator Rachel Siewert. Greens leader Larissa Waters condemned her former colleague's decision and said she had only been informed of the move an hour before it was announced. 'The Greens are disappointed in Senator Cox's decision to leave the Greens and join the Labor party as a backbencher,' Ms Waters said.
The Advertiser
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Gas project extension will need to meet net-zero
Woodside will be required under the safeguard mechanism to ensure a gas project extension meets net-zero emissions by 2050. The energy giant's North West Shelf project, which hosts Australia's biggest gas export plant, was last week given approval by the Albanese government to keep operating until 2070. The safeguard mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Asked if Woodside had to get the project down to net-zero emissions, Energy Minister Chris Bowen replied "yes". "This will be legally obliged and required under our safeguard mechanism to meet net-zero by 2050," he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday. "In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero." Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields. During the federal election campaign, the coalition promised to redirect gas to domestic users. Woodside will be required under the safeguard mechanism to ensure a gas project extension meets net-zero emissions by 2050. The energy giant's North West Shelf project, which hosts Australia's biggest gas export plant, was last week given approval by the Albanese government to keep operating until 2070. The safeguard mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Asked if Woodside had to get the project down to net-zero emissions, Energy Minister Chris Bowen replied "yes". "This will be legally obliged and required under our safeguard mechanism to meet net-zero by 2050," he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday. "In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero." Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields. During the federal election campaign, the coalition promised to redirect gas to domestic users. Woodside will be required under the safeguard mechanism to ensure a gas project extension meets net-zero emissions by 2050. The energy giant's North West Shelf project, which hosts Australia's biggest gas export plant, was last week given approval by the Albanese government to keep operating until 2070. The safeguard mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Asked if Woodside had to get the project down to net-zero emissions, Energy Minister Chris Bowen replied "yes". "This will be legally obliged and required under our safeguard mechanism to meet net-zero by 2050," he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday. "In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero." Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields. During the federal election campaign, the coalition promised to redirect gas to domestic users. Woodside will be required under the safeguard mechanism to ensure a gas project extension meets net-zero emissions by 2050. The energy giant's North West Shelf project, which hosts Australia's biggest gas export plant, was last week given approval by the Albanese government to keep operating until 2070. The safeguard mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Asked if Woodside had to get the project down to net-zero emissions, Energy Minister Chris Bowen replied "yes". "This will be legally obliged and required under our safeguard mechanism to meet net-zero by 2050," he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday. "In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero." Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields. During the federal election campaign, the coalition promised to redirect gas to domestic users.
