Australia: Court hears greenwashing lawsuit brought by parents

A federal court has begun to hear a landmark lawsuit brought by a group of parents against a retail energy company for alleged greenwashing.

Climate action group Parents for Climate claims EnergyAustralia, which owns two coal-fired power stations, breached Australian Consumer Law when promoting electricity and gas products because the carbon offsets used to secure certification were not backed by any meaningful reductions in emissions.

It is the first case in the country to be brought against a company for 'carbon neutral' marketing. And it is the first time an Australian energy retailer has faced legal action for alleged greenwashing.