Rising Tensions at Woodside Energy's AGM: Climate Activists Disrupt Proceedings

Climate protesters disrupted Woodside Energy's annual meeting in Australia, opposing its gas projects and sustainability measures. Investors, including pension funds, also voiced disapproval, urging the blocking of director re-elections due to climate concerns. Despite efforts to continue, the AGM highlighted growing tension between corporate objectives and environmental accountability.

In a dramatic scene at Woodside Energy's annual general meeting, climate change protesters blew whistles and shouted, momentarily derailing the proceedings and thrusting Chief Executive Meg O'Neill into a heated exchange. Their disruption reflected burgeoning dissent over the company's gas projects and sustainability practices, echoing similar unrest from the previous year.

Investors, especially large Australian pension funds like HESTA and Aware, joined in the criticism, casting protest votes against directors tasked with overseeing climate risk. The protests peaked as O'Neill articulated Woodside's contribution to energy security and societal goals, but the noisy intervention underscored a growing discord with sustainability advocates.

The meeting, which saw disruptions from both inside and outside the shareholder arena, highlighted ongoing tensions as environmental accountability pressures mount. Despite attempts to mitigate interruptions, including promotional videos about its energy projects, the AGM underscored the challenges Woodside faces amid global calls for more aggressive climate action.

(With inputs from agencies.)