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Fossil Fuel Giants Sued Over Climate Deception
26 Nov
Summary
- Lawsuit claims fossil fuel companies hid climate change dangers for decades.
- Plaintiffs link company deception to rising homeowners' insurance premiums.
- Internal research from the 1960s reportedly warned of catastrophic climate impacts.
A federal lawsuit has been filed against major fossil fuel companies, including ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, BP, and ConocoPhillips, alleging a decades-long campaign of deception regarding the dangers of climate change. Washington residents, Richard Kennedy and Margaret Hazard, claim the companies knowingly obscured internal research from the 1960s that warned of severe climate impacts from burning fossil fuels. This alleged misinformation campaign, modeled after the tobacco industry, is blamed for delaying clean energy adoption.
The plaintiffs contend that these actions directly fueled extreme weather events, leading to increased losses for insurers. Consequently, homeowners' insurance premiums have risen significantly across the country, with Washington seeing a 51% increase in six years. Even homeowners unaffected by direct climate disasters face higher costs due to pooled risk nationwide.
The lawsuit, brought under federal racketeering laws and Washington state laws, seeks damages for increased insurance premiums resulting from the alleged deception. It also asks the court to halt misleading marketing practices by these companies. The plaintiffs aim to represent all U.S. homeowners who have purchased insurance since 2017.
