The number of climate lawsuits brought against the world’s largest oil, gas and coal producers has nearly tripled since the Paris accord in 2015, according to a new study.
At least 86 cases have been filed against companies like Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP and Chevron, according to the new analysis by activist group Oil Change International and research group Zero Carbon Analytics. The groups said their study is the first to look solely at climate cases filed against fossil fuel producers.
More than half of all climate lawsuits have been brought in the United States, and one-quarter of the cases have been filed in Europe.
Thirty-eight percent of the cases seek to hold companies financially accountable for the costs of dealing with the effects of climate change like rising tides and more powerful storms. An additional 16 percent challenge misleading advertising claims, and 12 percent seek to force companies to cut emissions.
