The state of Maine has stepped into the legal ring, launching a lawsuit that aims to hold giant oil corporations accountable for climate change while seeking funding to bolster resilience efforts.
At a Glance
- Maine’s lawsuit targets Exxon Mobil, Shell, and Chevron over climate change impacts.
- The state accuses these companies of hiding fossil fuels’ effects, contributing to extreme weather.
- Allegations involve failure to warn, negligence, nuisance, trespass, and unfair trade practices.
- Maine seeks a jury trial and funding for climate adaptation and mitigation.
Maine Takes Legal Action Against Oil Giants
Maine has filed a lawsuit against major oil companies such as Exxon Mobil, Shell, and Chevron, accusing them of hiding the environmental impacts of fossil fuels. The legal action alleges decades of misinformation and correlates this with Maine’s extreme weather events such as sea-level rises and storms. The suit seeks a jury trial and demands financial compensation for past damages alongside increased funding for future climate adaptation and resilience efforts.
The lawsuit also includes the American Petroleum Institute, with allegations that it assisted in perpetuating deceptive practices. The new legal saga mirrors previous cases against tobacco and opioid firms, but it faces a challenging path through the courts. Questions continue to arise over whether such cases should be heard in state or federal courts, adding complexity and potential setbacks.
Maine became the latest state to sue major oil companies including Exxon Mobil and BP and accuse them of deceiving the public about the role fossil fuels have played in causing climate change https://t.co/qv2xM62uOZ @nateraymond pic.twitter.com/w0QvPagMYG
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) November 26, 2024
Fossil Fuel Companies Push Back
Exxon Mobil disputes the claims, noting its investments in reducing emissions and arguing that energy is critical to society’s needs. Shell acknowledges the necessity of climate action but argues that courtrooms are not the proper place for such discussions. Meanwhile, Chevron underscored the setbacks faced in similar litigations and urged a federal policy response, maintaining that aligning national and international climate policies is essential.
“Addressing climate change requires a coordinated federal and international policy response, not meritless state court litigation attacking essential energy production,” attorney Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. stated.
Eight other states and local governments have filed similar lawsuits, but none have successfully gone to trial due to procedural and jurisdictional hurdles. Oil companies continue to push for federal court hearings, arguing that interstate pollution requires federal intervention. The scene could shift dramatically depending on an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case that might sway the viability of these lawsuits.
Maine's Attorney General is taking big oil companies to court.
He says it's because of decades of deceit that have resulted in the devastating consequences of climate change. https://t.co/9Bf2J4p1BO
— CBS 13 News (@WGME) November 27, 2024
Challenges Ahead in Court
Maine’s Governor Janet Mills highlighted recent storm events as evidence of climate change’s increasing impact, and demanded accountability and funding from those historically responsible for environmental damage.
“For over half a century, these companies chose to fuel profits instead of following their science to prevent what are now likely irreversible, catastrophic climate effects,” said Democratic Attorney General Aaron M. Frey.
