The Federal Court of Australia has dismissed a high-stakes lawsuit against oil and gas giant Santos (ASX:STO).
The case, initiated by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, alleged that Santos violated corporation and consumer laws by making "misleading and deceptive" claims regarding its "clean energy" credentials and its roadmap to net-zero emissions.
The litigation—noted as the first global legal challenge to a company's specific net-zero strategy—targeted three primary areas of Santos' public messaging, namely product branding, Blue Hydrogen and net-zero roadmap.
Justice Brigitte Markovic handed down the dismissal following a rigorous three-week hearing concluded in late 2024.
While the verdict is clear, the specific legal reasoning behind the dismissal remains under seal; Justice Markovic is scheduled to release her full written judgment on Feb. 23.