Farmers for Climate Action extremely disappointed by reports that Woodside has scrapped long term emission and clean energy targets
Farmers face repeat droughts, floods and fires made worse by climate pollution
Attribution science increasingly demonstrates connection between climate impacts and fossil fuel projects
Farmers for Climate Action is extremely disappointed by reports that Woodside will "retire" scope 3 investment and abatement targets.
Farmers for Climate Action CEO, Verity Morgan-Schmidt said: "Like many fossil fuel giants, Woodside has reaped significant profits out of the conflict in the Middle East - while farmers have faced the compounding impacts of skyrocketing prices for fuel and fertiliser, and the direct impacts of climate change.
"We know that every tonne of fossil fuel pollution pumped into the atmosphere makes the climate challenge harder for Australian farmers. Climate change, caused by pollution, is already costing our broadacre producers an average of $28,500 per year. The problem is here and now, yet it appears that Woodside is doubling down on polluting the planet.
"Farmers are being hit by the next flood or fire before they've recovered from the last, and insurance premiums are going through the roof. This is happening because pollution has created a blanket around the earth which is keeping the heat in.
"Farmers are taking decisive action to reduce emissions on-farm, adopting clean energy and experimenting with electrification. It seems reasonable that Australia's biggest companies would be doing the same - and if they're not, we need to look at our policy frameworks; including the Safeguard Mechanism and the drivers motivating corporations to continue investing in the fossil fuels that are causing such damage to our industry," Ms Morgan Schmidt said.
Harden farmer, Peter Holding said: "It's easy for a company like Woodside to stand up and talk about climate targets when it makes shareholders feel good. But the minute it gets hard, they walk it back and go straight back to digging up carbon and burning it, like nothing's changed. We don't get that luxury out here, we're the ones dealing with the increasingly volatile weather that their climate pollution creates, season after season.
"Every drought, flood and fire makes it harder to grow the food this country relies on. Food security depends on a stable climate, and every target a company like this drops makes that harder to guarantee, for us and for everyone who eats what we grow."
