abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

28 Jun 2019

Author:
E.A Crunden, Think Progress (USA)

USA: 2020 Presidential candidates plan to hold major fossil fuel companies accountable for climate change

"This is how 2020 candidates plan to hold Big Oil accountable for climate change", 24 Jun 2019

Cities and states have been actively seeking to hold fossil fuel giants accountable for their role in knowingly contributing to global warming — a movement that is now seeing support from Democratic presidential contenders.

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) and Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA) have both released climate plans that would see corporations like ExxonMobil pitted against the government for contributing to climate change while concealing their internal scientific findings about the impact of emissions.

Inslee’s is particularly of note for its scope — tucked into the governor’s sweeping new climate plan released Monday is a dedicated section targeting fossil fuel companies.

As climate change becomes a hot button issue for 2020 Democratic contenders, the emerging calls for accountability could push other presidential hopefuls to similarly target major fossil fuel corporations at a time when local actors are ramping up legal efforts against Big Oil. While lawsuits seeking to assign blame for climate change have met with mixed success thus far, some environmental advocates hope that attention from presidential candidates will bolster such efforts...

Inslee told ThinkProgress that his plan would “finally hold fossil fuel corporations accountable for their pollution” and forcefully address the influence such companies have historically wielded over policymakers. Inslee also asserted that those corporations should be “liable for the harms that their climate pollution is causing” to communities nationwide.

“Like tobacco companies, these industries have poisoned our air and polluted our planet for decades without recourse,” Inslee said. “They must answer for that.”...