This could be the next big strategy for suing over climate change

Two California coastal counties and one beach-side city touched off a possible new legal front in the climate change battle this week, suing dozens of major oil, coal, and other fossil fuel companies for the damages they say they will incur due to rising seas.

A Delta plane lands as a U.S. Airways plane
 waits to take off at San Francisco airport. 

The three cases, which target firms such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP and Royal Dutch Shell, assert that the fossil fuel producers are collectively responsible for about 20 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions between 1965 and 2015. They claim that industry “knew or should have known” decades ago about the threat of climate change, and want companies to pay the costs of communities forced to adapt to rising seas.

“We’re already living the impact of sea level rise,” said Marin County Supervisor Kate Sears. She said a county vulnerability study found hundreds of county businesses and other assets could be at risk in coming years.

Read The Washington Post story - “This could be the next big strategy for suing over climate change.”

80% zero carbon energy by 2040 achievable, says oil-backed commission

When I wrote about the arrival of unsubsidized wind farms (onshore and off), I noted that even Royal Dutch Shell was lobbying for a massive increase in offshore wind.

There may be good reason for that: Forbes reports that the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC)—which was founded by Shell and is backed by other energy giants like Statoil—is predicting that the world's energy systems could be powered by 80% zero carbon sources by 2040. As Forbes notes, that's a pretty astounding figure, given that many environmentalists were skeptical of the ETC's original remit of establishing a pathway to 50% zero carbon by 2050.

Read the Treehugger story by Sami Grover - “80% zero carbon energy by 2040 achievable, says oil-backed commission.”

Oil giant Shell warns public faith in fossil fuel industry is 'disappearing' and calls for carbon taxes

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is to increase its spending on renewable energy to $1bn (£800m) a year, its chief executive announced as he warned the public’s faith in the industry was “just disappearing”.

Ben van Beurden called for governments
 to impose a price on carbon emissions.

Ben van Beurden suggested the public backlash against fossil fuel firms could threaten the industry’s future.

He also said it was essential that countries imposed a price on carbon emissions to help phase out the use of coal and oil, sources of large amounts of greenhouse gases that are driving climate change.

This perhaps surprising message – a request from a business for governments to make their costs higher – was delivered at an energy conference in Texas, Reuters reported.

Read the story by Independent Environment Correspondent, Ian Johnston - “Oil giant Shell warns public faith in fossil fuel industry is 'disappearing' and calls for carbon taxes.”

Business clamouring for global carbon tax - Peter Burdon

Peter Burdon.

Among the various interests at the Paris climate talks, it is arguably the voice of business that has emerged most clearly.

Many business leaders are now saying that if the world is intent on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, there must be a worldwide price on carbon and a framework for linking the 55 schemes that exist in areas such as China, the European Union, and California.

Momentum has been building since May, when six of Europe’s largest oil and gas companies, including Royal Dutch Shell and BP, issued a letter calling for global carbon pricing system. That month, leaders from 59 international companies also signed a statement calling for carbon pricing to feature in the Paris agreement.

Read the piece by senior lecturer, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide, Peter Burdon, on The Conversation - “Why is the business world suddenly clamouring for a global carbon tax?”