A woman from Washington has initiated a groundbreaking lawsuit, holding seven oil and gas companies responsible for their alleged contributions to climate change, linked to the death of 65-year-old Juliana Leon during an extreme heat event in 2021.
The lawsuit, filed in state court, claims these companies were aware of the climatic changes caused by their products yet failed to inform the public about the increasing risks, particularly the extreme heat wave in the Pacific Northwest that led to Leon’s death.
On June 28, 2021, a rare heat wave peaked at 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.22 degrees Celsius). Leon had traveled 100 miles to an appointment, and due to a malfunction in her car’s air conditioning, she had rolled down the window on her return journey.
The complaint states that Leon parked her car in a residential area, where she was later found unconscious behind the wheel. Despite immediate medical aid, Leon sadly passed away.
The companies named in the lawsuit include Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66, and Olympic Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of BP. The filing asserts, “The defendants were aware that fossil fuel products were already altering the planet’s atmosphere,” and highlights that by 1968, they had acknowledged that their fossil fuel-dependent economy exacerbated atmospheric shifts, leading to more frequent and devastating weather disasters and predictable human losses.
The lawsuit states, “The extreme heat resulting in Juliana’s death was directly connected to fossil fuel-induced climate changes.”
In a response, Counsel Countsely Jr. from Chevron Corporation remarked, “Using personal tragedies to fuel politicized climate tort lawsuits contradicts legal standards, scientific evidence, and common sense. The courts should classify this significant claim among the growing instances of baseless climate litigation already dismissed by state and federal courts.”
The Olympic Pipeline Company, alongside other firms, refrained from providing comments when approached by the Associated Press.
The lawsuit accuses these companies of hiding, neglecting, and misrepresenting the dangers associated with climate change, which is exacerbated by the combustion of fossil fuels, obstructing research and awareness.
International Climate Researcher noted in a peer-reviewed study that the 2021 Heat Dome was “virtually impossible without human-induced climate change.”
Chris Cowan, who heads the Street Outreach team at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, prepares to distribute water and cooling supplies at a homeless camp in Portland, Oregon, on August 12, 2021 (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)
Climate scientists have extensively documented the connection between climate change and increasing occurrences of record-breaking and deadly heat waves around the globe, attributing this phenomenon to the burning of fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide.
Korey Silverman-Roati, a senior fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, remarked, “The scientific community now has a much clearer view of how climate change influences specific extreme weather events. Today’s scientists can make more confident assessments, but this knowledge often does not reach the public.”
Silverman-Roati emphasized that this case highlights the dire consequences of climate change and illuminates the repercussions of corporate actions.
The New York Times initially covered the lawsuit.
“Major oil companies have been aware for decades that their products can lead to catastrophic climate disasters that result in fatalities and widespread destruction if they do not alter their business practices,” stated the president of the Climate Integrity Center. “However, instead of alerting the public and implementing measures to safeguard lives, these corporations have perpetuated misinformation and exacerbated the issue.”
Unprecedented Actions
Various states and municipalities, including Hawaii and Michigan, have begun legal proceedings against fossil fuel entities to address the damages inflicted by climate change, backed by a countersuit from the US Department of Justice.
The previous administration neglected climate change concerns and obstructed measures aimed at addressing it, including the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and weather forecasting agencies have ceased tracking the financial impacts of weather disasters associated with climate change, while the Environmental Protection Agency has faced scrutiny for its long-standing policy changes surrounding greenhouse gas assessments that affect public health and welfare.
Conversely, the federal government has increased support for oil and gas initiatives as part of the “American Energy Independence” agenda, rolling back numerous efforts to tackle climate change.
Globally, several climate incidents are being scrutinized and may set a unique precedent for holding significant polluters accountable. A German court recently ruled against Peruvian farmers, arguing that the energy company’s greenhouse gas emissions were a contributing factor to global warming and posed risks to their homes.
Nevertheless, cases like this one are rare where companies may face accountability for individual deaths, as Misty Leon seeks unspecified financial compensation.
Don Braman, an associate professor at George Washington University Law School, expressed, “As we confront a worsening climate crisis, it is sobering to recognize that this year, which already holds the record for temperatures, will soon be viewed as a relatively cool moment in the near future.”
“It is likely that lives will be lost as climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe,” he added. “This case places the spotlight on the negligence of fossil fuel companies amidst mounting evidence that they have been aware of the dangers posed by their products for decades.”
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Alexa St. John serves as a climate reporter for the Associated Press. Follow her on Twitter: @Alexa_stjohn. You can reach her via email at [email protected].
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Learn more about AP’s climate coverage at apnews.com/climate-and-environment.
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Associated Press Climate and Environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP standards outlining the list of supporters and areas of funded coverage at ap.org.
Source: apnews.com