Today, the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of San Francisco and other jurisdictions in California to pursue liability cases in state, rather than federal, courts against Big Oil for tens of billions of dollars to address the impacts of the climate crisis. This is a crucial victory in the face of the fossil fuel industry’s tactic of moving litigation to jurisdictions the industry views as more favorable.
Here’s a statement from our Deputy Campaigns Director, Sriram Madhusoodanan.
“Today’s decision from the Ninth Circuit is a vital turning point in the fight to make Big Polluters pay for the damage they have knowingly fueled on both a local and global level. This is a victory for people, who have long fought to hold Big Polluters liable for their destructive practices and misinformation campaign, and could clear the way for climate liability lawsuits around the world. The fossil fuel industry and its lawyers are now finding that their junk science and greenwashing will only get them so far. These climate criminals will have their day in court.
The movement to bring an end to the era of fossil fuel corporations’ unchecked extraction of resources and labor is not limited to California; it is powered by communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis around the globe including national governments, mayors, state attorneys general, and cities across the United States. This is just the beginning of a necessary process to secure reparations for those most affected by the abuses of fossil fuel corporations.”
