Putting aside the inadequacies of government in addressing climate change, many Australians are coming to recognise that the fate of the planet resides mainly in numerous corporate board rooms, writes Dr David Shearman. The recent Santos AGM is one battleground for our future. 

 Santos, along with other Australian gas producers, has a significant role in increasing world emissions of methane, a fast-acting greenhouse gas.

Santos though has never addressed the increasing body of evidence that total emissions from gas are little different from coal, or the risks associated with potential exposure of residents and workers to chemical mixtures with endocrine disrupting potential known to be present in wastewater as well as air as a result of mining operations.

Some health professionals, including DEA member Dr Graeme McLeay and Honorary DEA member Prof Melissa Haswell, who were present at the online meeting,  presented some crucial questions. 

Those by Prof Haswell were not addressed by Santos and can be found HERE.

Santos is in denial over the scientific findings. However as the title of this oped states: Santos must come clean on methane and accept its responsibilities to human health.

The full article is published in Renew Economy on 6 April 2020.

Dr David Shearman AM FRACP is emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide, and a co-founder of Doctors for the Environment Australia