Why Big Oil fears being put on trial for climate change

[Zorro]

Oil and gas companies are desperate to stop the wave of lawsuits seeking to hold them financially responsible for their role in climate change. Should these suits get to trial, their executives would have to testify about whether they knowingly misled the public about the climate threat posed by their products going back to the 1970s.

A federal district judge in a recent ruling made it harder for the defendants to shut down a lawsuit filed by the state of Rhode Island to have the industry pay the costs associated with climate change.

Judge William E. Smith ruled that the suit against 21 oil and gas companies, including Exxon, Shell and BP, should be heard in state court — a venue that the companies fear would be less likely to dismiss the case. Federal judges in Northern California and Baltimore, likewise, have ruled that these cases belong in state court. (I have been a pro bono consultant to lawyers representing government plaintiffs in these cases.)

Judge Smith also noted in his opinion: “Defendants understood the consequences of their activity decades ago, when transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy would have saved a world of trouble. But instead of sounding the alarm, Defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus and further delay changes — however existentially necessary — that would in any way interfere with their multibillion-dollar profits. All while quietly readying their capital for the coming fallout.”

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-08-10/climate-change-lawsuits-oil-companies-state-courts

[sharedvalues]

1. We want Reparations for climate change.

Oil and gas companies lied about climate change to enrich themselves.

They should be forced to repay every last cent they made based on those lies.
Rex Tillersom should pay reparations to all of us.

[ROB-ROX]

2. REMEMBER THE CIGARETTE COMPANIES BEING SUED

The tobacco companies had done their studies which indicated tobacco caused cancer. They still sold tobacco to the public. They also added chemicals to make their produce addictive. The oil companies have paid for scientific studies to study climate change. They have utilized the automobile industry as their conduit to sell their product. During the 70's there were vehicles which got 35 to 40 miles per gallon. We do not see cars which get better than 40 miles per gallon? In fact during the 80's mileage per gallon decreased because the public were sold big dinosaur vehicles. Today this is still occurring. There is proof the oil companies had knowledge they had affected the climate. I think it is time for them to pay for their greed. Maybe the money awarded after the trial can be utilized to build solar, wind, electric vehicles? We have to turn off the oil faucet and save the planet........

[Cicada]

3. Bingo!

[CrispyQ]

4. Globalize them.

Sort of like nationalizing them, only on a global level. Confiscate the assets of the corporate officers, going back to the 70s. Majority of all profit goes into alternative energy research & production.



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CORPORATE PERSONHOOD IS THE FICTION THAT CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE

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