Puerto Rico filed suit against fossil fuel companies this week, alleging that the oil and gas giants have misled the public about climate change and delayed a transition to clean energy. The suit seeks $1 billion in damages to help Puerto Rico defend itself against climate disasters.
In a complaint filed in San Juan yesterday, Puerto Rico’s Department of Justice says that the companies violated trade law by promoting fossil fuels without adequately warning about the dangers. The defendants include ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and other energy companies.
It’s the latest in a slew of lawsuits attempting to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the consequences of climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels are supercharging storms and other extreme weather events while rising seas eat away at island shorelines. Fossil fuel companies knew for decades that their products would cause global warming and went about business as usual anyway, several studies and investigations have found.
In the complaint, Puerto Rico says it expects to pay billions of dollars in the future to cope with catastrophes made worse by climate change — including storms like Hurricane Maria, which killed thousands of people in 2017 and triggered monthslong power outages.
The suit asks defendants to contribute to a fund that would be used to mitigate the consequences of climate change and pay for measures to strengthen Puerto Rico’s infrastructure against future climate-related calamities.
BP declined to comment on the suit. Other multinational energy companies named in the suit didn’t immediately respond to The Verge.
“It’s more important than ever for officials to stand up to the fossil fuel industry on behalf of their communities. The people of Puerto Rico deserve their day in court to hold Big Oil accountable,” Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity that tracks climate cases and provides legal support, said in an emailed statement.
