California Sues Big Oil in Landmark Lawsuit

It's clear the oil companies aren't going to act to stop climate change, and the federal government is too deep in the pockets of Big Oil to do much either.

It will be up to activists, young people, and local governments to lead this fight. I'm glad California is taking this action.

I agree with California in this matter! The answer from the Oil Industry is let Congress deal with this, but as long as members of Congress aree allowed to get "GIFTS" from lobbyists, and Citizens United allows Corporations to give big amounts of Money to Political Campaigns, Congress won't do anything to stop the damage caused by oil and gas use and in fracking to get to oil deposits. These big oil multinationals want their big profits more than they want to support life on this planet! This industry believes it can buy the votes of OUR ELECTED people in Congress, & The Republican Party has shown that's how they work! Their pushing the extreme thinking of evangelicals who gave them a lot of money! All members of Congress must PROVE their knowledge of our Constitution prior to taking office. Maybe then they wouldn't violate it so often, breaking their Oath of Office!

Two years ago certain parties, including some lawmakers, in California were sent copies of U.S. Patent 8,674,373 which when implemented stops carbon Dioxide emissions.  Makes fossil fuel harmless to the ozone. If the better nousetrap doesn't fit the agenda it's always ignored.

I like your thinking California!

I have my doubts to the outcome. But, we should not only go after the oil companies but also the Big 3 Automakers. People forget GM was a big factor in eliminating trolley cars. Selling cities to purchase buses, GM busses. Also pushing for our "Freeways". Having congress pass a fuel tax to build highways. Instead of toll roads. Between major oil companies and auto industry climate change will never stop. Those entities alone place more money in congress members campaign funds than any voter. Don't let them fool you that they are working towards renewables. They are more concerned with "PROFIT", not climate change effects. 

Only government is so deceitful to do something like this. The fact of the matter is that "big oil" profits around 10% from their business. Big government, especially in California with the nutso taxes profits considerably more and does nothing but make it harder for oil companies to produce what the public wants.

I suppose a failed state like California which benefited from decades of oil use would find another group to blame for their policy failures.  

after years of failed zoning practices, minimal regulation around their power suppliers, and high taxes have seen an increase in homelessness and crime,wildfires sparked by the electric utilities, California is again looking to obtain a new source of revenue that will do nothing more than to help those who benefited and hurt those who didn't. The California politicians of today are the Harvey Weinsteins of the political world. 

What I say is if California believes it was lied to then why didn't they make a landmark decision to sue oil companies in 1960 and drive electric cars back then, but they couldn't because they didn't have the technology and there was nothing but fossil fuels so you can't use that argument. Next nobody in California wants electric cars except Tesla and that's that period, we want gas and gas will always be around no matter what we do it's just a fact you can't make electric cars without coal because you need a power plant in order to produce power to charge lol. Next you need a huge grid which will take California at least another 10-20 yrs to build but wait the government must build it to supply the entire country and it's not going to happen because it's to expensive and to have states build their own won't happen because all of them don't have the tax money or support in the state to build it. Second they will have to raise the electricity bill so high to pay for the grid use because it'll be slammed with people using it so on average look at 200-300 everytime you charge that vehicle, in the summertime in Cali you'll burn up because air conditioning will be a thing of the past and so will any household that has a Generac generator which uses natural gas which will be banned too.

Why are they trying to make energy more expensive when there is no viable replacement? You will never get rid of fossil fuels.

Hope many states follow CA. lead.

I applaud California for the steps they have taken.  The oil companies need to be held to account and help pay for the havoc they have brought on the world.  Had they been upfront back in the '50's it is possible that a world effort could have been mounted to find better solutions to energy needs.  Their profits need to be brought to bare at making right what they placed upon us.

We have known since 1974 that the oil companies were lying to us, damaging the environment, and putting profit above human lives.  It is about time SOMEONE called them to account!  Good for CA! (Where was the Congress in this?  Oh yeah, voting in mroe oil subsidies!)

Abuse of courts

Only in Cali!!! It's rediculous. The Governor should be embracing Fossil.Fuels because he is going to need them when his grid fails. And it will fail completely before long.

Feel good political motivation by CA officials, this will be tossed out of Court ultimately once the case gets to the adult judges.

this is an important step towards accountabilty.

I SO support this lawsuit against the big oil conpanies in California that have been raking in the profits for years, enriching their CEOs and shareholders while raising our prices with mumbled excuses about inflation and distribution. These are the companies that have done the research, and found out that oil is indeed canceer causing and indeed the major cause of Global Warming! This smoke I'm trying to avoid today is all part of the prob lem they are exacerbating while profiting! It has to end!

Absolutely!  We now have definitive evidence they intentionally lied to we the people.

Big oil needs curbing! 

It's a bout time we brought the fight directly to big polluters.

more states should follow California's lead 

I have been against off shore drilling ever since they began.  It is was a  danger back in the day and still is as we all well know.  I'm backing California on this one.

The oil companies should reimburse all citizens for the losses we have suffered due to the climate crises.  BP should have paid much more than they did for the damage they caused to the Gulf of Mexico from the Deep Water Horizon.

Companies like to disguise the true cost of their product, whether it is direct harm from the product such as with cigarettes, or the cost of disposal of packaging, or harm to the enviroment from carbon pollutants. We no longer have the luxury to ignore these costs in an increasingly crowded and polluted and trash-ridden world.

I support this.  Too bad I live in PA, or I would want to add my name to the lawsuit.