I’m sorry I didn’t post a Renewable Friday last week, due to computer problems. Let’s see if I can make it up to you. Certainly The Death of Carbon by 10 Billion Cuts continues to accelerate. Here is another way you can join in—lawsuits. Gobs of lawsuits, for crimes, damages, fraud, destroying shareholder value…
Climate Change Litigation Databases
This site provides two databases of climate change caselaw. The Global database includes all cases except those in the U.S. Cases in the databases are organized by type of claim and are searchable. For many cases, links are available to decisions, complaints, and other case documents.
Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School
More than 1700 cases, brought by bad guys and good for more than a decade.
The case above:
Held v. State
Description: Lawsuit seeking declaration of right under the Montana constitution to a stable climate system and to compel Montana to prepare and implement a remedial plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
I can only give you a sampling below, of course, but feel free to dig for more.
One, two, three!
Hit ‘em in the knee!
Four, five, six!
Hit ‘em in the other knee!
U! S! A!
People v. Exxon Mobil Corp.
Filing Date: 2023
Court/Admin Entity: Cal. Super. Ct.
Status: Notice of entry filed of order granting petition for coordination. [ 02/07/2024 ]
Description: State of California's lawsuit against fossil fuel companies alleging that the defendants' concealed and misrepresented the risks of climate change and delayed a societal response to address climate change.
Filing Date: 2023
Court/Admin Entity: W.D. Wash.
Status: Notice of removal filed. [ 02/06/2024 ]
Description: Tribe's lawsuit seeking to hold fossil fuel companies liable for climate change harms allegedly resulting from the companies' "climate deception campaign."
Filing Date: 2024
Court/Admin Entity: Ill. Cir. Ct.
Status: Complaint filed. [ 02/20/2024 ]
Description: Lawsuit alleging that fossil fuel industry defendants' deception regarding the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions from their products resulted in harmful climate change impacts to Chicago.
Commonwealth v. Exxon Mobil Corp.
Filing Date: 2019
Court/Admin Entity: Mass.
Status: Denial of special motion to dismiss affirmed. [ 05/24/2022 ]
Description: Action by Massachusetts attorney general asserting that Exxon Mobil Corporation committed deceptive practices against Massachusetts investors and consumers, including by failing to disclose climate change risks.
People v. JBS USA Food Co.
Filing Date: 2024
Court/Admin Entity: N.Y. Sup. Ct.
Status: Complaint filed. [ 02/28/2024 ]
Description: New York State attorney general's greenwashing lawsuit against beef producer for allegedly making unsubstantiated claims regarding its "Net Zero by 2040" commitment.
Rest of World
World Council of Churches’s Claim on Climate Disinformation
At issue: Argument to expand Article 7 of the Rome Statute to include the effects of the burning of fossil fuel and climate disinformation campaigns.
At issue: Whether the board of directors and main shareholders of TotalEnergies should be held criminally viable for the knowing contributions to climate change.
Alabama v. California
Filing Date: 2024
Court/Admin Entity: U.S.
Status: Motion filed for leave to file a bill of complaint. [ 05/22/2024 ]
Description: 19 states' motion to file a bill complaint to block other states from pursuing climate change lawsuits against energy companies.
Shell v. Greenpeace
At issue: Whether Greenpeace is liable to pay damages to Shell following its occupation of Shell’s North Sea oil production platform
Texas v. EPA
Filing Date: 2022
Court/Admin Entity: D.C. Cir.
Status: Court issued order regarding format of oral argument. [ 08/29/2023 ]
Description: Challenges to EPA’s December 2021 promulgation of “Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards.”
Playing Us Out
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Texas Flood (Live From Austin, TX)
(I found you a version without the grotesque ExxonMobil greenwashing ad.)
Yes, it’s happened again with Hurricane Beryl.