Washington, DC — Last week, AG Bonta announced the filing of one of the most prominent climate lawsuits in the nation to fight climate change. Spotlighting AG Bonita’s lawsuit, the New York Times reported, “The civil case, filed in superior court in San Francisco, is the latest and most significant lawsuit to target oil, gas and coal companies over their role in causing climate change. It seeks creation of an abatement fund to pay for the future damages caused by climate related disasters in the state.”

“The lawsuit, brought on behalf of the people of California by the state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, was filed late on Friday. It claims that starting in the 1950s, the companies and their allies intentionally downplayed the risks posed by fossil fuels to the public, even though they understood that their products were likely to lead to significant global warming,” continues the New York Times.

AG Bonta joined CNN This Morning, stating, “Our causes of actions are unique. We have a state law, California public nuisance claim. We have multiple deception and false advertising claims. We have a failure to warn claim. We have a very unique only in California claim for destruction of natural resources, the most broad sweeping claims and we put together 134 page complaint that lays out in great detail their knowledge and their deception while they’ve pursued endless profits – $200 billion in profits last year. These cases have never got to the merits before. They have been wrapped up in a procedural delay because big oil wants delay. Every year of delay is more billions in profits for them. We can get to the merits now. And that’s why we have brought this case and we believe we’re gonna be successful in court.”

AG Bonta also told CBS News, ”California is alleging that the five largest big oil companies, Chevron, Shell, ConocoPhillips, BP, ExxonMobil, as well as the American Petroleum Institute, participated in a decades long campaign of deception that led to big damage and destruction to the California people because of climate change.” He added “And so we have now in California the hots are getting hotter, wets getting wetter, dries getting drier. We’re facing floods and super storms and droughts and wildfires every day. And our case is based on a very simple but powerful principle: that you are responsible for your actions.” 

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