The California Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP and the American Petroleum Institute, accusing them of conducting a “decades-long campaign of deception” about climate change and the risks associated with fossil fuels. According to Attorney General Rob Bonta, these companies have been aware since the 1950s that burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming, but have chosen to minimize or deny the impacts to protect their profits.
The lawsuit seeks to establish a Climate Action and Adaptation Fund to finance California’s efforts on the issue and to take interim measures to protect the state’s natural resources from pollution. It also aims to prevent oil companies from making false or misleading claims about fossil fuel burning and climate change.
As evidence, the lawsuit cites examples, such as a 1968 Stanford Research Institute report, which suggests that the defendants were aware of the environmental threat posed by carbon dioxide emissions. California has already spent tens of billions of dollars fighting climate change and will likely need to spend much more in the future.
Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed support for the lawsuit and stressed that taxpayers should not bear the financial burden of the damage caused by wildfires, air pollution, heat waves and droughts resulting from the actions of oil companies. The lawsuit is part of a broader campaign to hold oil companies accountable for their role in preventing climate action.
This lawsuit represents a significant step in California’s efforts to combat climate change and seek compensation for damages caused by the fossil fuel industry. Through legal action, the state is attempting to force these oil companies to take responsibility for their fraudulent practices and to help restore and mitigate the environment.
