Survivors of Climate Disasters Demand U.S. Investigation into Big Oil's 'Climate Crimes'

Over 10,000 people have signed a letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a federal investigation into the fossil fuel industry's alleged misinformation about climate change.

Allen Myers, who grew up in Paradise, California, describes his hometown as "sacred land." At the age of 11, he lost his mother, who passed away in their family home. Years later, that home, along with 90% of the town, was destroyed in the 2018 Camp Fire, a devastating event that claimed 85 lives. Now, Myers is among those demanding that the fossil fuel industry be held accountable for its role in the Camp Fire and other climate-related disasters. He, along with 1,000 other climate disaster survivors, signed a letter that was hand-delivered to the U.S. Department of Justice, calling for an investigation into the industry's "climate crimes."

"The Camp Fire bore the fingerprints of the climate crisis," said Myers, a board member of the local organization Regenerating Paradise. "The fossil fuel industry knows that what they're doing is dangerous, and millions of people around the world are suffering the consequences."

The letter, organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, reads: "We have survived hurricanes, floods, extreme heat, fires, and other hazards that are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. While our stories are diverse, the fossil fuel industry's misconduct is a consistent thread."

The letter, which was also signed by 9,000 Americans whose loved ones have survived climate disasters, cites evidence that the oil industry has known for decades about the dangers of fossil fuels and has actively sought to cover up this information. "Instead of acting responsibly on their own scientists' warnings, they waged a decades-long disinformation campaign to muddy the science and mislead the public," the letter states.

This letter is part of a growing movement for climate accountability. Numerous municipalities have filed civil lawsuits against the oil and gas industry, accusing them of spreading climate misinformation, and some states are considering legislation to collect damages from the industry for climate-related impacts. Last year, Public Citizen proposed filing criminal charges, including homicide, against major oil companies, an idea that has gained interest among prosecutors. In May, climate victims and non-profit organizations in France filed the world's first-ever criminal climate lawsuit against big oil, though no similar case has been filed in the U.S.

"Climate survivors and their allies have had enough. Our message to the Justice Department is clear: prosecute the fossil fuel industry and make polluters pay," said Clara Vondrich, senior policy counsel on climate at Public Citizen. "Survivors of climate crimes deserve justice just as much as the victims of other serious crimes like homicide, arson, assault, and armed robbery."

Another signatory of the letter, Roishetta Ozane, has survived hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, and pollution along the U.S. Gulf Coast. In a statement, she expressed that survivors are "tired of being resilient." Ozane, who is also the CEO of the environmental justice group Vessel Project, stated: "It is high time we hold these companies accountable for their actions and demand that they pay for the climate crimes they have committed. We must make polluters pay for the damage they have caused to our environment and communities. They've caused this mess, and they need to pay to mitigate it."