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ClimateUnited States of America

California accuses oil giants downplaying climate risks

September 16, 2023

The US state of California has sued five major oil companies. The state accused them of misleading the public about the danger posed by burning fossil fuels.

https://p.dw.com/p/4WQZr
Active pump jacks increase pressure to draw oil toward the surface in Kern County, California
California claims oil companies have suppressed information about the risks of fossil fuel useImage: Robyn Beck/AFP

California filed a civil lawsuit against ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips and Chevron. They were accused of downplaying the risks posed by fossil fuels, according to a court filing on Friday.

The American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry trade group, is also a defendant in the case, according to the filing.

"Oil and gas company executives have known for decades that reliance on fossil fuels would cause these catastrophic results, but they suppressed that information from the public and policymakers by actively pushing out disinformation on the topic," the 135-page complaint read.

The legal action follows numerous other lawsuits filed by US cities, counties and states against fossil fuel interests over the effects of climate change and alleged disinformation campaigns over decades.

These lawsuits are modeled on previous successful cases against Big Tobacco as well as against the pharmaceutical industry over the proliferation of opioids.

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What does the suit seek?

The suit seeks the creation of an abatement fund to pay for future damages caused by climate disasters in California, which is on the front line of climate change-fueled wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather phenomena.

"California is taking action to hold big polluters accountable," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

However, the defendants said they were skeptical about the case. API said climate policy is for Congress to debate and decide, not the court system. Sharing a similar sentiment, Shell said, "We do not believe the courtroom is the right venue to address:climate change."

Since the current wave of environmental litigation against fossil fuel firms began around 2017, the industry has sought to avoid state trials on procedural grounds. That effort received a major blow in May, when the US Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal in two cases, meaning they could proceed.

dh/sms (AFP, Reuters)