Landmark Greenwashing Case Against Gas Producer Santos Dismissed

A judge dismissed a long-running legal challenge against Santos Ltd., which had accused the Australian oil and gas producer of misleading investors over its climate strategy.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — A judge dismissed a long-running legal challenge against Santos Ltd., which had accused the Australian oil and gas producer of misleading investors over its climate strategy.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.The case brought by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, a shareholder advocacy group, was rejected Tuesday by Justice Brigitte Markovic. Markovic will publish details of her decision Feb. 23, she told the Federal Court of Australia hearing in Sydney.Adelaide-based Santos was first sued in 2021 by the group, which had alleged the company was deceptive in portraying itself as a clean energy producer in investor materials and by suggesting it had a “clear and credible” plan to hit net zero by 2040.ACCR also contested the company’s description of natural gas as a clean fuel — a major point of contention among climate activists. The case was the first of its type to legally challenge the validity of a company’s plan to reach net zero, according to the organization. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Santos and the ACCR didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on the case.Litigation related to so-called green-washing continued to expand in 2025, with courts increasingly supporting action to ensure companies present specific and verifiable plans for their claims about tackling global warming, according to a December report by Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law.Energy producer TotalEnergies SE was rebuked by a Paris court in October after a judge ruled a corporate rebrand had misled consumers over its commitments on climate action. In May, CLP Holdings Ltd.’s EnergyAustralia settled with an advocacy group that had mounted a case related to the marketing of carbon offsets.Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4© 2026 Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.You can manage saved articles in your account.and save up to 100 articles!You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.