In a remarkable turn of events, legal experts have floated a proposal to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the devastating impacts of climate change.
The proposal, which will soon be published in the Harvard Law Review, stems from evidence suggesting that the fossil fuel industry deliberately concealed information about the dangers of fossil fuel use from the public. This revelation has led to 40 lawsuits alleging violations of tort, product liability, and consumer protection laws, as well as engaging in racketeering. In addition to civil lawsuits, the researchers argue that fossil fuel companies should face criminal charges.
“You need people who understand the science on the prosecution team, in addition to people who understand a homicide prosecution, in addition to people who understand big, document-intensive white-collar prosecutions,” she added, speaking at an event at UPenn.