Ashjayeen Sharif, an 18-year-old student and climate change campaigner, is running for a seat on the AGL board, with the energy giant being Australia’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter.
The University of Melbourne student says he wants the company to phase out its “dirty coal-burning power stations” by 2030 and replace them with 100 per cent renewable energy, according to The Guardian.
“I think AGL shareholders should consider what matters for their families and their children and realise that climate change is a defining issue of our time,” Sharif said.
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In a notice of the company’s AGM, AGL chairman Peter Botten wrote that shareholders were recommended to vote against Sharif’s nomination.
The notice said Sharif’s skills and experience “would not add to the effectiveness of the AGL board”.
AGL’s directors are also recommending shareholders vote against a resolution asking the company to align its business with the Paris climate agreement to keep global temperatures “well below 2 degrees Celsius”.
Sharif said he would push the company to become a 100 per cent renewable power generator within nine years “before we pass a turning point that leads to climate catastrophe”.
“AGL shareholders have real power to direct real change. Even though I’m young and don’t have professional experience in directorships of a company, as Australia’s biggest climate polluter you just need an understanding of what matters in protecting the future for young people.
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Sharif, who has been involved in the School Strike 4 Climate campaign of marches since November 2018, said last week’s UN climate science panel report was “terrifying” and had inspired his motivation to fight for change.
“It was empowering because it reminded me that science and the reality that we live in is on our side,” he said.
Sharif added: “For the longest time young people have been calling for change and again and again our calls have been disrespected and ridiculed or ignored. But the youth really are rising. We are seeing it.”
AGL says emissions from its coal and gas power plants were 42.2Mt last financial year and make up about 8 per cent of Australia’s entire greenhouse gas footprint.
