About The Dirty Dozen

Feel like you've been doing the heavy lifting on reducing climate emissions, while Australia's biggest polluters are getting away with doing nothing?

You're not wrong.

We, the community, have been switching to green power, putting up solar panels, cycling to work. All while Australia’s biggest polluters have been increasing their climate emissions. It’s time for the Dirty Dozen polluters to pull their weight when it comes to tackling the climate crisis.

Who are the Dirty Dozen?

Dirty Dozen Clean Up Crew

The Climate Council’s report ‘Introducing the Dirty Dozen: Australia’s filthiest fossil fuel polluters’ profiles the 12 largest fossil fuel giants in the country.

These companies, called the Dirty Dozen, are Australia’s biggest fossil fuel polluters, responsible for almost 10% of our total national carbon emissions. Right now, these companies are fuelling the climate crisis, and raking in billions in profit while they’re at it.

QCC is calling for a strong Safeguard Mechanism, the piece of legislation which will cap the emissions these companies are allowed to pump into the atmosphere.

We demand a strong safeguard mechanism that will:

  • Set hard limits on industrial emissions and force the Dirty Dozen to make genuine cuts to their emissions 
  • End dodgy practices that see fossil fuel corporations pay to keep on polluting by buying cheap offsets
  • Close the door on new fossil fuel projects that would blow  the carbon budget for the Safeguard Mechanism; and 
  • Make the Dirty Dozen pull their weight on reducing emissions so that regular Australians and local businesses don’t have to pick up their slack. 

What is the Safeguard Mechanism?

This policy is a key part of the Labor Government’s plans to cut the harmful greenhouse emissions that are driving the climate crisis. It covers Australia’s 215 biggest polluters, including a who’s who of fossil fuel companies and big miners – like Santos, BHP, Anglo Coal, Woodside, Chevron and Rio Tinto, and aims to set genuine emissions limits on the amount that these companies can pollute.

Australia cannot meet our legislated emissions reductions targets and make real progress to reduce climate damage if we don’t get the Safeguard Mechanism right.

What Can I do?

First and foremost, join our Clean Up Crew. We're taking to the streets and we need as much help as possible to ensure our message gets out there. If you can't join, please consider making a donation to the cause here.