Corporate Governance
The principles governing the actions of the Board and the employees of the Company are in accordance with the ASX core principles of corporate governance. The Company’s full Corporate Governance Statement and Appendix 4G for the year ended 31 December 2023 has also been released and can be found on the Company’s website.
The Company also has in place policies that cover the principal actions under its Corporate Governance Statement and these may also be found on the Company’s website.
Risk Management
The Audit and Risk Committee oversees the establishment, implementation, and annual review of the Group’s Risk Management System. Management has established and implemented the Risk Management System for assessing, monitoring, and managing all risks, including material business risks, for the Group (including sustainability risk). The Chief
Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer have provided assurance, in writing to the Board, that the financial reporting risk management and associated compliance and controls have been assessed and found to be operating effectively. The operational and other risk management compliance and controls have also been assessed and found to be operating effectively.
Risk reporting includes the status of risks through integrated risk management programs aimed at ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and appropriately managed. The Audit and Risk Committee reports the status of material business risks to the Board on an annual basis.
The risks involved with oil and gas exploration generally and the specific risks associated with Buru Energy’s activities in particular are regularly monitored and all exploration and investment proposals reviewed include a conscious consideration of the issues and risks of each proposal. The Company’s executive and senior management have extensive experience in the industry and manage and monitor potential exposures facing the Company.
Climate Related Risks and Opportunities
The Board considers the potential impact of climate related risks in its oversight of the Company’s strategy. The Company recognises that human activity, including fossil fuel combustion, is contributing to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and that modelling suggests this can lead to changes in the global climate.
The Company recognises that society is transitioning towards energy sources with low carbon dioxide emissions and supports this process. Even in the most ambitious energy transition scenarios, this process will be gradual. Natural gas and oil will continue to play an important role in the global economy for decades to come, and new sources of gas and oil supply are required for a sustainable energy transition. The Company therefore continues with a strategy of monetising its natural gas and oil assets through exploration, appraisal, development, and production.
The Company has committed to net zero carbon emissions from its current and future gas and oil operations by 2050 and is actively seeking to reduce or offset its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, particularly in ways that directly benefit the Kimberley community. Buru has also implemented the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework. The TCFD reporting and further information is included in the Company’s Sustainability Report for the year ended 31 December 2023.
The Company also sees significant opportunity in leveraging its existing geological, engineering and commercial expertise to participate in the new energy economy. As part of this process, it has established businesses that are exploring for natural hydrogen and battery minerals. It is also establishing expertise and operational capability for carbon dioxide capture and storage services through its GeoVault subsidiary.