---
title: Woodside legal action against climate protestors “a bit on the nose”
description: Fossil fuel giant Woodside is threatening legal action against two climate activists after one let off stench gas inside its Perth headquarters.
---
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au)
[](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy)
The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
# Woodside legal action against climate protestors “a bit on the nose”
Friday, 28 July 2023
Fossil fuel giant Woodside is threatening legal action against two climate activists after one let off stench gas inside its Perth headquarters. Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter said threatening to sue the activist over the gas prank was “a bit on the nose” considering the threat Woodside poses to our oceans and climate.
The United Nations has said that it is now “virtually certain” that July will be the hottest month the world has ever recorded. Secretary-General António Guterres said the time of climate change was over and “the era of global boiling has arrived”.
Tragically, despite heroic efforts the remaining pilot whales stranded on a beach in Western Australia were euthanised after re-beaching overnight.
**Top stories:**
[Activist could face massive bill after stink gas 'prank' interrupts 2500 workers](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.news.yahoo.com%2Factivist-face-huge-bill-stink-gas-prank-interrupts-2500-woodside-workers-035259368.html&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=XJKoAJtMIAAm3mHXH-PHKA7CHnw&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6ImF1Lm5ld3MueWFob28uY29tIn0.KBqWhace6cXts2jpM3KPTdbTZRgfZrAHswZTS14QPgcnR6MabVxvsPDBrSjQ_YsGO_sbyl2Z5IymY2oPJNEA2w)
A stink gas “prank” that interrupted 2500 workers at Australia’s largest oil and gas company, could see activists sued in court.
[‘Virtually certain’ July will be world’s hottest ever month](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.com.au%2Ftechnology%2Fenvironment%2Fclimate-change%2Fvirtually-certain-july-will-be-worlds-hottest-ever-month%2Fnews-story%2F5fc4b0a63c7c88c47974d590586823b7&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=kSEJsBQKy9jj9sp4vVNGsgT_V7I&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdSJ9._9eIk96tIPNTjXwzMngn8CFnjBniEWEG71sNjH2GiqhhnqHvoch0hnhg2EgYcYnFoZnfeMpFAgXVacvMtxi1Pg)
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a UN agency, and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service stated the first three weeks of July were the hottest such period on record.
[Praise for volunteers who helped Western Australia's beached pilot whales](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2023-07-27%2Fpilot-whale-beaching-wa-volunteers-praised%2F102655354&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=HPxrnenXvEk0APngoBRwYRvcIQw&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5hYmMubmV0LmF1In0.G6KfJQf9DTg3BPfDRnL8aNk-KGOfbZc12czKSTcqj9BstN0qGFyj-TGroGNT_097qH1_WRMtfq5v4vGs7BrXgQ)
More than 200 people — a combination of volunteers, Parks and Wildlife officers, police, surf lifesavers and others — spent hours in the frigid waters off Albany in a desperate attempt to save dozens of stranded pilot whales on Wednesday.
[Electricity prices down almost 60% a year on from Australia’s short-lived energy crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/27/australian-energy-prices-down-emissions-record-low-prices)
Emissions from Australia’s main electricity grid dropped more than 6% in the June quarter from a year ago to a record low for the period, and wholesale prices stabilised, the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) said.
[NSW considering ‘all options’ to keep power bills down as coal cap end date looms](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/27/nsw-considering-all-options-to-keep-power-bills-down-as-coal-cap-end-date-looms)
Coal companies in New South Wales could face further intervention as the state government looks for ways to curb rising power bills when temporary price caps and other controls run out.
[Is paradise being lost? Raging wildfires on the Greek island of Rhodes gives southern Europe a terrifying glimpse into the future](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2023-07-27%2Fparadise-lost-on-greek-island-of-rhodes-as-fires-rage%2F102642492&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=DnuiFhb9CqYUAl6iaDX-Oas22KU&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5hYmMubmV0LmF1In0.G6KfJQf9DTg3BPfDRnL8aNk-KGOfbZc12czKSTcqj9BstN0qGFyj-TGroGNT_097qH1_WRMtfq5v4vGs7BrXgQ)
Every European summer, millions of tourists descend on Greece to island-hop. But this year, a raging fire sent thousands running for their lives.
[Extreme weather linked to climate change the 'number one threat' to natural World Heritage sites, research finds](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2023-07-28%2Fclimate-biggest-risk-to-world-heritage-areas-research-finds%2F102656800&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=AIzXSk0QLO5p1kU3iFWStT0JFOM&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5hYmMubmV0LmF1In0.G6KfJQf9DTg3BPfDRnL8aNk-KGOfbZc12czKSTcqj9BstN0qGFyj-TGroGNT_097qH1_WRMtfq5v4vGs7BrXgQ)
Some of the world's most precious places are facing "unprecedented challenges from climate change" and could lose their World Heritage status, a research paper has found.
[Rising sea levels were beginning to swallow Teaote's home on Kiribati — so she built a seawall](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fpacific%2Fteaote-davies-and-the-seawall%2F102611176&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=2rpUF3ncKMeZW4YyfArAy5Jq3mE&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5hYmMubmV0LmF1In0.G6KfJQf9DTg3BPfDRnL8aNk-KGOfbZc12czKSTcqj9BstN0qGFyj-TGroGNT_097qH1_WRMtfq5v4vGs7BrXgQ)
Despite lacking any background in engineering, she felt a profound sense of responsibility and set out to build a wall to protect not only her own home but others as well.
[The licence for a potential new coal mine in Fingal Valley is up for renewal](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fnews%2Ftasmania%2Fthe-licence-for-a-potential-new-coal-mine-in-fingal-valley-is-up-for-renewal%2Fnews-story%2F027a624aa7cbda3f0f39746c03b658cf&urlCategories=newsLtd&analytics=false&documentId=zhA2AKm99DRlY5awodgiEp4h1KQ&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5oZXJhbGRzdW4uY29tLmF1In0.tyvzxwnT4YHYtOKwk-QXfhLIB-5fakWVeDsIsFbN-UKoLJR_SD3ZgVClMjrILbZY1pK5qxxShDGuqS6LG4A-kA)
Around 15 members of the Grassroots Action Network Tasmania staged a coal “greenwashing” in front of Parliament House in Hobart on Thursday in protest over the proposed project. Spokesperson Acacia Bingham said the activists’ efforts to scrub coal with household cleaning products aimed to show the absurdity of coal being promoted as a source of green energy.
[climate change](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-change), [fossil fuel](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/fossil-fuel), [Woodside](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/woodside), [activism](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/activism), [climate justice](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-justice)
### Will you share with your friends?
[Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-legal-action-against-climate-protestors-a-bit-on-the-nose%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [Share on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Check%20out%20this%20thing%20from%20Greenpeace!%20https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-legal-action-against-climate-protestors-a-bit-on-the-nose%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dwhatsapp) [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-legal-action-against-climate-protestors-a-bit-on-the-nose%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-legal-action-against-climate-protestors-a-bit-on-the-nose%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=)
[Go to the website](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
## More news
### [Greta Thunberg allowed to sue Swedish government](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/greta-thunberg-allowed-to-sue-swedish-government)
Greta Thunberg and 600 other climate activists part of the group Aurora have received the go-ahead...
### [Australia not pulling its weight on climate finance](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/australia-not-pulling-its-weight-on-climate-finance)
Australia is only funding one-tenth of its fair share of climate finance globally, according to a...
### [New legal challenge to Woodside](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/new-legal-challenge-to-woodside)
A two-day hearing aimed at stopping Woodside’s destructive Scarborough gas project is expected to...
Work like this is only made possible by our supporters. Greenpeace accepts NO government funding or corporate donations to remain impartial. To amplify meaningful climate activism in Australia, ***become a regular giver today.***
[Donate to Support Greenpeace](https://donate.greenpeace.org.au/)
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
Connect with us
**Call:** [1800 815 151](tel:1800815151)
Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past, present and future — and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia, the environmental movement and the Greenpeace crew.
© Greenpeace 2026. [Privacy Policy.](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/privacy-policy/)