Oil companies have known about their enormous and “catastrophic” contribution to climate change since the 1950s. They lied about it for as long as they could and are now lying about their newfound commitment to solving the problem they created. Who will hold them accountable?  Melissa “Missy” Sims, a lawyer from Illinois, is currently representing 52 Puerto Rican municipalities against Big Oil for hurricane-related damages caused by the climate crisis. Richard Wiles is the president of the Center for Climate Integrity, which helps state and local elected leaders, including state attorneys generals hold Big Oil companies accountable for climate damages through litigation. 

In today’s episode, Ken, Missy and Richard talk about how they got to the front lines of protecting our planet by working together on a mission to sue Big Oil and what their hope for the future looks like.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

She’s on a Mission From: God Suing Big Oil Companies for Damages

Center for Climate Integrity

 

The Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan “The Victory Memo”

T.I.N.A. Group Sceanarios 1998

Exxon’s 1978 report “The Greenhouse Effect”

Exxon’s 1979 report “Controlling Atmospheric CO2”

Exxon's 2019 Corporate Strategic Planning memorandum

Shell’s 2020 “Let’s Talk Energy Transition” emails and deck

House Oversight documents reveal Big Oil’s “greenwashing” climate claims to hide investments in fossil fuels

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