Business
Making Big Oil accountable
Nearly 200 groups call on Democratic leaders to oppose immunity for the fossil fuel industry.
19 March 2025
Barely a week after a coalition of nonprofit groups called on Congressional Democrats to oppose efforts aimed at shielding the fossil fuel industry from legal liability, the Wall Street Journal has reported that oil and gas companies are actively lobbying for such protections in Congress.
Big Oil CEOs directly raised concerns about the growing number of legal and legislative efforts against their companies with President Trump during a White House meeting on Wednesday, the Journal reports.
‘Democrats need to be on guard so that Big Oil’s congressional allies can’t sneak immunity into a bill without it meeting fierce and vocal resistance. No industry should be above the law — especially one whose criminal actions have fuelled the greatest threat to human safety in history.’
AARON REGUNBERG
Director of Public Citizen’s climate accountability project
In a 13 March letter to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, 195 groups – including Public Citizen, Earthjustice, Sunrise Movement and the American Association of Justice – pointed to past efforts from the fossil fuel industry to secure a liability waiver from Congress, as well as statements from President Trump, as reason to anticipate a new push to immunise polluters.
The letter states: ‘We have reason to believe that the fossil fuel industry and its allies will use the chaos and overreach of the new Trump administration to attempt yet again to pass some form of liability waiver and shield themselves from facing consequences for their decades of pollution and deception. That effort — no matter what form it takes — must not be allowed to succeed.’
‘Big Oil companies know they face massive liability, and we know they’ll do everything they can to avoid facing the evidence of their climate deception in court.
‘Now that the Supreme Court has repeatedly refused to bail out Big Oil, and lawsuits against the companies are getting closer to trial, members of Congress must not give the fossil fuel industry a ‘get out of jail free card’ for its fraudulent and destructive behaviour.’
RICHARD WILES
President of the Center for Climate Integrity
Dozens of state, municipal and tribal governments have filed lawsuits against major oil and gas companies to hold them accountable and make them pay for deceiving the public about the dangers of fossil fuels.
Several of those cases are advancing toward discovery and ultimately trial.
Twice this year the US Supreme Court has denied requests aimed at shielding Big Oil companies from facing such lawsuits, even after industry allies targeted the justices with an unprecedented pressure campaign.
‘For decades, the fossil fuel industry has known the health and climate harms of its actions. Instead of addressing them, they have tried everything to insulate themselves from the catastrophes they cause. That’s not how fairness works, and it’s not how the law works. Just like anyone else, they need to be held accountable for the harms they perpetrate on people and communities. The last thing they deserve is a liability shield, and we urge Congress to oppose and block any effort to help these companies evade accountability for their actions.’
RAÚL GARCÍA
Earthjustice Action vice-president of policy and legislation
Separately, a growing number of state legislatures are advancing climate superfund bills that would compel major fossil fuel companies to contribute to funds supporting climate adaptation, infrastructure and community rebuilding efforts based on their historical emissions.
Vermont and New York passed first-of-their-kind climate superfund laws last year, both of which are now facing legal challenges from fossil fuel interests, and at least 10 additional states have introduced similar legislation in 2025.
‘The gun industry wrote this playbook years ago, and we’ve witnessed the tragic consequences when corporations secure legal shields from accountability. What’s at stake here isn’t just who pays for climate disasters – it’s whether our democracy allows powerful industries to simply rewrite the rules when justice catches up to them.
‘The fossil fuel industry spent decades burying climate science while their products fuelled the crisis. Now that the bill is coming due, they want taxpayers to cover their tab. Lawmakers must decisively reject any attempt by the fossil fuel industry to evade accountability and ensure both justice today and the right of future generations to hold polluters responsible for decades of deception.’
CASSIDY DIPAOLA
Communications director, Make Polluters Pay
The groups’ letter asks Schumer and Jeffries ‘to draw a line in the sand now — before fossil fuel industry allies divulge their specific plans — and unite your caucuses in firm opposition to any Congressional efforts to bail out climate polluters from facing legal and legislative consequences for their central role in the climate crisis.’
‘As people around the country and world suffer from record-breaking global temperatures and unprecedented extreme weather events, the science is clear that burning fossil fuels is the primary driver of dangerous and deadly climate change.
‘Major oil and gas companies have understood for decades that their products could have catastrophic effects on people and the planet, yet they engaged in a long-term, deliberate disinformation campaign.
‘Now, when there is growing momentum to make fossil fuel corporations begin to pay for the damage they have caused, policymakers must stand firm and protect their constituents against any attempts by the industry to evade accountability for its pollution, deception, and destruction.’
KATHY MULVEY
Climate Accountability campaign director at the Union of Concerned Scientists
Nearly 200 groups call on Democratic leaders to oppose immunity for the fossil fuel industry.
‘The people of California deserve their day in court to hold Big Oil accountable’, Center for Climate Integrity says.
Shell settles multimillion-dollar SLAPP lawsuit against Greenpeace.
Maine becomes 9th state to take fossil fuel companies to court for climate lies and damages.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Weekly ethical news, offers, comps and a free digital mag (quarterly) – what’s not to love?
