"In California and across the nation from Hawaii to Maine, a growing number of state and local governments are fighting in court to hold oil giants like Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell and BP accountable for their well-documented efforts to deceive the public about climate change and the "catastrophic events" and "more violent weather" their own scientists accurately predicted would result if the use of their fossil fuel products was not curbed."
"Like tobacco and opioid corporations, major oil and gas companies chose to lie about the harm of their products rather than warn the public about the threat. U.S. taxpayers are now on the hook for more than $1 trillion a year in damage caused by worsening fires, floods, droughts, storms and other climate disasters."
"In the Oval Office, the Supreme Court and the halls of Congress, fossil fuel interests are urging all three branches of government to help shield the companies from accountability and give Big Oil a get-out-of-jail-free card. Like attempts to immunize and companies, the calls to give Big Oil immunity should be loudly and vigorously opposed by all who agree that no corporation or person should be above the law."
State and local governments across the United States are pursuing legal action against major oil companies including Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP for deliberately deceiving the public about climate change and its consequences. These companies' own scientists predicted catastrophic weather events and climate impacts, yet the industry chose to conceal this information rather than warn the public. U.S. taxpayers currently bear over $1 trillion annually in climate disaster damages including fires, floods, droughts, and storms. As courts increasingly allow communities to present cases to juries, the fossil fuel industry is mounting aggressive efforts to prevent accountability. The industry is lobbying the executive branch, Supreme Court, and Congress to block these lawsuits and grant immunity from liability, similar to failed attempts to protect tobacco and opioid manufacturers.
#climate-litigation #oil-company-accountability #climate-deception #government-lobbying #corporate-liability
Read at Los Angeles Times
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