Activists want Big Oil to face charges over mns of climate-linked deaths

Activists want fossil fuel companies charged with murder over climate-related deaths: Researchers and legal experts are proposing a legal theory that would hold fossil fuel companies criminally accountable for climate-related deaths, The Guardian writes. The proposal, put forward by advocacy group Public Citizen, suggests that companies should face criminal charges due to their significant contributions to climate change and the concealment of its dangers from the public which kills mns each year. The idea is gaining interest among legal professionals and public officials, although it faces legal and practical challenges including proving causality between a company's actions and any particular climate-related death.

By the numbers: Emissions resulting from the fossil fuel production of major companies could lead to 11.5 mn excess heat-related deaths by 2100, according to research by international NGO Global Witness. The companies — which include Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, and Chevron — are expected to contribute 51 bn tons of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere from now until 2050. The oil giants have disregarded scientists' pleas to decrease emissions, and have instead escalated oil and gas production, Global Witness concluded, pointing to ExxonMobil and Chevron’s recent USD 100 bn investment in fossil fuel reserves, BP and Shell’s move to weaken their climate commitments, and TotalEnergies’ intention to increase production.

Big Oil pushes back: TotalEnergies disagree with Global Witness’s analysis particularly the inclusion of Scope 3 emissions which it deemed biased and unrealistic in attributing responsibility. The company also did not acknowledge the mortality costof carbon methodology used.