<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australian"><span>Australian</span></a><span> </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/courts" rel="" target="" title="court"><span>court</span></a><span> has thrown out a lawsuit against </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/gas" rel="" target="" title="gas"><span>gas</span></a><span> producer Santos that alleged the company misled the public on its plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The lawsuit was launched in 2021 by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, an activist shareholder, which said it was the first case of its kind in any country to challenge the validity of a company's net zero emissions target.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under pressure from investors concerned about </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/climate-crisis" rel="" target="" title="climate change"><span>climate change</span></a><span>, companies around the world have set out ambitious targets to be carbon neutral within the next 20 to 30 years.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/jeffrey-epstein-files-hillary-clinton-accuses-donald-trump-administration-of-coverup-over-its-handling-of-documents/8d2ee7d6-1521-48c1-b200-fc59c84cc89c"><strong><span>Hillary Clinton's defiant Epstein claim about herself and husband</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The case in the Federal Court of Australia had been closely watched given its potential implications for how legal action could be used to hold companies accountable for their climate targets.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACCR alleged Santos breached Australia's corporations and consumer laws by engaging in misleading or deceptive behaviour when it said it had a clear pathway to reduce emissions by 26-30 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2040.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The group also challenged Santos' claims it was a producer of "clean energy", that natural gas was a "clean fuel" and that hydrogen it produced from natural gas through carbon capture and storage (CCS) was "clean" with "zero emissions".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australian-gas-producer-santos-wins-court-fight-over-net-zero-claims/99a23c22-585f-4b73-a9fe-7c7962d42aa7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ACCR had asked the court to declare that Santos engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct, prevent the company from doing so in the future, and require the company to correct its statements.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/woman-charged-after-allegedly-threatening-bystanders-with-a-knife-central-coast/81c7bd1c-713a-4695-98a5-c24e3ce3f9eb"><strong><span>Terror as woman allegedly rampages in shopping centre</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-news-australian-education-union-pushes-for-fourday-work-week-trial-for-teachers/b1c18ad4-3796-4666-9bea-83e6c28d9114" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>Push to cut teachers back to 4 days a week</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Federal Court of Australia Judge Brigitte Markovic dismissed the case yesterday and ordered ACCR to pay Santos' costs, with her reasons to be published on February 23.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brynn O'Brien, ACCR's co-chief executive, said the outcome was disappointing, and the group would take time to review the decision before considering its next steps.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This was a landmark case that paved the way for others around the world to challenge corporate net zero claims in court," she said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It has been a David versus Goliath battle and Goliath won this round."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>O'Brien said the ruling meant the burden was on investors to "scrutinise every statement, every number and every assumption provided by companies in relation to climate commitments".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Santos said it welcomed the court's decision. "Santos is committed to transparent, accurate and compliant reporting," a statement said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It said that since the publication of its net zero roadmap, it had developed a climate transition action plan that continued to evolve "with the progression of technology, markets, and public policy over time".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: </span></strong></em><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via </span></strong></em><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span> and </span></strong></em><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by </span></strong></em><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to </span></strong></em><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em></em></div></div>