Energy retailer admits offsets ‘do not prevent or undo’ fossil fuels harms in greenwashing settlement
EnergyAustralia withdrew its Go Neutral product in July 2024, and says it has now “shifted its focus to direct emissions reductions”.
EnergyAustralia has apologised to the 400,000 subscribers to its carbon offset programme and admitted “offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels” as part of a settlement in a greenwashing case.
The landmark public statement by an energy company is the result of campaigning by NGO Parents for Climate, which launched a greenwashing lawsuit against EnergyAustralia in 2023 over the claim that the firm’s ‘Go Neutral’ programme customers were buying carbon-neutral electricity. (Apple is currently facing a similar lawsuit in the US.)
