A 'ripple' becomes a wave
A protest outside the offices of News Corp Australia in Surry Hills on January 31, 2020.(Getty: Jenny Evans)
Emily's big goodbye would go around the world, appearing in major news outlets like the BBC and America's NPR.
Over the next few days, News Corp employees, including "senior people" and journalists, privately shared their support.
"I got messages from all over the company saying, 'Congratulations, well done, thank you for saying that.'"
And there were stirrings of change from the very top of the company. Within a week, News Corp announced it would donate $5 million to the bushfire relief effort. James Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's son, issued a rare public criticism of News Corp publications for their climate denialism.
"It needed to be done. Those words needed to be said," Emily said.
"And I'm really proud that I was the one to say them."
At the time, News Corp Australia chairman Michael Miller issued a statement in response to Emily's resignation, saying the company stood by its coverage of the bushfires and that it did not agree with Emily's views:
"Our coverage has recognised that Australia is having a serious conversation about climate change and how to respond to it. However, it has also reflected there are a variety of views and opinions about the current fire crisis. The role of arsonists and policies that may have contributed to the spread of fire are, therefore, legitimate stories to report in the public interest."
The ABC reached out to News Corp Australia with further questions but didn't receive a response.
Alex's final straw
Woodside is among the world's top 10 independent energy producers by hydrocarbon production.(Supplied: Woodside)
Alex's frustration with Woodside boiled down to a simple question: How can a company that makes the lion's share of its money from selling fossil fuels be part of a future without fossil fuels?
For Alex, the answer hung in the balance. Maybe gas had a role to play as a "transition fuel" between coal and renewables.
Then, in May 2021, the world's pre-eminent energy modeller addressed that exact question in a 224-page report.
It answered Alex's question in 21 "crystal clear" words:
"Beyond projects already committed to as of 2021, there are no new oil and gas fields approved for development in our pathway."
The International Energy Agency (IEA), an authoritative Paris-based intergovernmental organisation, had looked at what it would take for the world's energy sector to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which was consistent with limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5C.
It found there was a "narrow pathway" between the world's demand for energy and the need to rapidly reduce fossil fuel emissions.
The planet could not afford the extra emissions from new oil and gas fields, but, fortunately, there were substitutes and the world didn't necessarily need these extra fossil fuels either.
Months after the IEA report, Woodside made its final investment decision to open up a massive new gas field off the coast of Western Australia.
If built, the $16 billion Scarborough project would be Australia's largest new fossil fuel project.
In October 2021, Alex handed in his resignation.
"I just couldn't see how you could justify continued oil and gas developments."
The Scarborough project includes expanding the existing Pluto facility on the Burrup Peninsula.(Supplied: Woodside)
In response to questions from the ABC, a Woodside spokesman said they "strongly disagreed with Mr Hillman's opinion" and that the company was reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
These are emissions that are controlled by the company (eg produced by extracting gas) whereas scope 3 emissions are a consequence of the activities of the company (ie burning of gas sold by Woodside).
The ABC asked Woodside about Alex Hillman's accusations of greenwashing, specifically that their emissions reduction targets don't include any of the fossil fuel products they sell, but the company declined to respond to that question.
Woodside also argued that its gas has a role to play in decarbonising in Asia, by replacing coal and supporting renewables.
Also in response to questions, APPEA chief executive Samantha McCulloch said the oil and gas industry was "a major investor in decarbonisation technology and renewables", and "is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the economy to net zero by 2050".
'Something you can be proud of'
Unlike Emily, Alex quit quietly.
But months later, he spoke out, appearing in the news to criticise Woodside and claim its public commitments to curb emissions were at odds with its business plans, including the Scarborough project.
By then, he was working for the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, a shareholder advocacy group that pressures companies to do more on climate.
"It's so liberating," he said.
"I'm much more impactful as well. So I love it."
Leaving Woodside felt like "the shackles had been lifted", Alex said.(triple j Hack: James Purtill)
Emily, meanwhile, has decided to keep a much lower public profile.
Up to now, she's spoken little about the events around her quitting News Corp.
Instead, she's co-founded a co-working facility in Sydney as well as a sustainability-minded e-commerce software company.
Emily's business will be carbon neutral by 2023.(triple j Hack: Emily Townsend)
Most of all, she feels relieved. Both Emily and Alex felt they were powerless within their respective organisations, trapped by what they saw as corporate machines they could not change.
"I was just one voice amongst many … Even if I was effectively doing as much as I could, it wouldn't be enough," Alex said.
Their way out of this bind was to quit and find work where they believed they could have a positive impact on the climate.
For many, quitting because of climate change may be a luxury they cannot afford.
But for those who can, Emily only has words of encouragement.
"Life is short and careers are even shorter.
"Be part of something you can be proud of, because you can."