ClimateTicker

Whitehaven Coal

ASX: WHC15Greenwashing / Harmful· Provisional
0 followersCoal mining·Sydney, Australia·Founded 1999
www.whitehavencoal.com.au

Australia's largest independent coal company, operating thermal and metallurgical coal mines in New South Wales and Queensland with no stated plans to exit coal.

15/100
Greenwashing / Harmful· Provisional

ClimateTicker Green Score · how it's calculated

Greenwashing risk: highData confidence: medium

Why it's on ClimateTicker

Whitehaven Coal is Australia's largest independent coal producer and a net-negative actor for climate: its core business extracts and exports both thermal and metallurgical coal, generating over 1.36 billion kg CO2e in Scope 1+2 emissions in FY24 alone, with Scope 3 combustion emissions orders of magnitude larger. Its presence on any climate platform should be understood as a laggard benchmark or a negative screen, not a green investment.

harmfulWhitehaven mines and exports thermal coal (for power generation) and metallurgical coal (for steelmaking) from operations in New South Wales and Queensland, selling predominantly to Asian markets; it expanded its metallurgical coal footprint significantly in FY24 via the acquisition of BHP's Blackwater and Daunia mines.

Commitments & Certifications

other: Partial — electricity procurement only ↗

Controversy & Greenwashing Watch

mediumScope 3 Emissions Non-Disclosure

As of 2025, Whitehaven discloses no Scope 3 (customer combustion) emissions data, which are estimated to be many times larger than operational emissions and represent the dominant climate harm of coal sales.source ↗

mediumNo SBTi or Paris-Aligned Targets

Whitehaven has no Science Based Targets initiative validation, no absolute emissions reduction target, and no net-zero commitment — only a Safeguard Mechanism intensity target that allows total emissions to rise with production growth.source ↗

highVickery Extension Project — Approved Despite Climate Objections

The Vickery coal mine extension was approved and early mining commenced in mid-2024 despite objections from climate groups arguing it violates Australia's Paris Agreement obligations.source ↗

highQueensland Coal Mine Acquisitions Expand Footprint

Whitehaven acquired BHP's Blackwater and Daunia metallurgical coal mines in FY24, materially increasing production capacity and absolute emissions in direct contradiction of IEA no-new-coal guidance.source ↗

highNarrabri Underground Mine — Community and First Nations Opposition

The Narrabri mine expansion has faced sustained opposition from Gomeroi Traditional Custodians and environmental groups citing risks to the Great Artesian Basin and agricultural land, with legal challenges in NSW and federal courts.source ↗

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