Posted by John Donovan 17 Sept 2023
In an act of sheer audacity, the great state of California has decided to sue some of the world’s most beloved oil and gas companies, including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and BP. Their audacious claim? That these companies misled the public and downplayed the teeny-tiny risks associated with fossil fuels. How dare they suggest such a thing?
This civil lawsuit, filed with a flourish in state Superior Court in San Francisco, has a unique twist: it’s not just about exposing the so-called “deceptions” of Big Oil. No, California wants a fund, and it wants the very companies it’s suing to finance it. This fund will serve as a sort of “Oops, our bad” account for when those pesky storms and fires wreak havoc. After all, it’s only fair that the companies causing climate change also foot the bill for its consequences, right?