BHP’s leaked documents, revealed over the past few days, said: “The urgency to source renewables generation and storage services by 2030 has diminished.” In the documents, BHP also says it does not expect a “material increase in carbon prices” until 2040 and says this means there is an “advantage” in delaying pollution reduction.

FCA CEO Verity Morgan-Schmidt said delays in pollution reduction hurts farmers.

“Farmers are being hit by the next flood or fire before they’ve recovered from the last, and insurance premiums are going through the roof. This is happening because pollution has created a blanket around the earth which is keeping the heat in,” Ms Morgan Schmidt said.

“We know that climate change is already impacting agricultural productivity. Climate change is made worse by continuing pollution, so to hear that one of Australia’s biggest companies is choosing to delay action is deeply disappointing.” 

“The shift to clean energy is more important than it has ever been,” Ms Morgan-Schmidt.

“Farmers are taking decisive action to reduce emissions on-farm, adopting clean energy and experimenting with electrification. It seems reasonable that Australia’s biggest companies would be doing the same – and if they’re not, we need to look at our policy frameworks; including the Safeguard Mechanism.

“A good corporate citizen makes commercial decisions that reduce pollution.”