{"id":67245,"date":"2024-09-04T17:06:03","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T21:06:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/communique-de-presse-2\/67245\/crise-climatique-letau-se-resserre-sur-les-petrolieres\/"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:05:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:05:20","slug":"climate-crisis-pressure-mounts-on-oil-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/67245\/climate-crisis-pressure-mounts-on-oil-companies\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate crisis: Pressure mounts on oil companies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A firefighting helicopter flies with a water bucket at the Park Fire on July 29, 2024 near Chico, California. \u00a9 David McNew \/ Greenpeace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

As summer draws to a close, let\u2019s take a moment to reflect on recent climate news and how some governments are looking to hold polluters accountable for the climate harms they are responsible for. Pressure is mounting on oil and gas companies as they are increasingly in the crosshairs of governments.<\/p>\n\n

2024: The planet is overheating<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Following the record-breaking<\/a> year of 2023\u2014which was not only the hottest on record but also set new highs for ocean temperatures, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice loss, and glacier retreat\u20142024 has offered no respite. Wildfires ravaged Western Canada, destroying much of the iconic town of Jasper; record floods inundated Quebec; and deadly heat waves gripped the nation. The global rise in extreme weather events has made its mark on our country (see the end of this blog for a detailed, though not exhaustive, list of extreme weather events in Canada this summer).<\/p>\n\n

Governments are throwing down the gauntlet against oil companies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Fortunately, some jurisdictions around the world are stepping up and have begun suing polluters, including oil and gas companies as a means of holding them accountable for their pollution and making them pay for the costs of climate impacts that bear their signature. Recently, Vermont became the first state<\/a> to pass a law requiring Big Oil to cover a portion of the damages from climate disasters, such as catastrophic summer floods and other devastating extreme weather events. States like Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York are also considering similar measures, which is a huge win for the climate! Additionally, an increasing number<\/a> of U.S. cities and states, including Chicago, New York, and California<\/a>, are suing fossil fuel companies for allegedly misleading the public about the climate crisis. Today, one in four Americans<\/a> lives in a city or state that is pursuing legal action against these companies for deceiving the public.<\/p>\n\n

In the United States, over 10,000 survivors of climate disasters<\/a> are now calling for a federal investigation into the “climate crimes” of major oil companies. Recently, Puerto Rico filed a lawsuit seeking one billion dollars<\/a> in damages from these companies, arguing that the industry was aware of the dangers of its products, yet the island is now bearing the brunt of the consequences. In a related case, Chevron has agreed to pay $550 million to the Richmond City Council as part of a settlement following the city’s proposal of a new tax on the oil company\u2019s refinery. Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez hailed the settlement<\/a> as a historic moment but stressed that the fight for Richmond’s environment is far from over.<\/p>\n\n

“The community of Richmond has created a movement that will echo across the nation,” <\/em>Martinez said. “What’s happened here has demonstrated to the community, to the nation, to the world, that when we as people pull together, we can create change. And that by standing up for environmental justice just as we have, other communities too can require that their polluters do the right thing, either by measure or by negotiation.”<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

When will Canada establish a Climate Recovery Fund<\/em>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

As the scrutiny on oil and gas companies intensifies, it\u2019s crucial that Canada establishes a Climate Recovery Fund<\/em> to address the damages inflicted by the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n

What we need is a Climate Recovery Fund <\/em>to help communities and local governments prepare, respond and adapt to extreme weather.<\/p>\n\n

The fund would be used to:<\/p>\n\n