Lawsuit Seeks to Hold Fossil Fuel Companies Accountable for Climate Change-Related Death

Strategic Insights -

A woman in her 60s who died in the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome, when temperatures soared to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, is being sued by her daughter, alleging that oil and gas companies failed to warn the public of the dangers of their products. Juliana Leon's internal body temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of her death, and the lawsuit claims that she was killed by conditions caused by man-made climate change.

Key Takeaways:

  • The lawsuit, filed in state court in Washington, is the first to seek damages for the death of an individual as a result of conditions caused by man-made climate change.
  • The suit names seven oil and gas companies, including Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66, and Olympic Pipeline Company, a subsidiary managed by BP.
  • The complaint alleges that the companies knew for decades that their products would dangerously alter the planet's atmosphere and failed to warn the public of the dangers.
  • Legal experts say that the case follows a similar logic to the argument that prosecutors could charge oil companies with criminal homicide and other crimes related to climate change.
  • The heat dome that caused Juliana Leon's death would have been "virtually impossible" without man-made climate change, according to researchers with World Weather Attribution.
  • Heat deaths have doubled in the United States in recent decades, a recent study found.
  • Extreme heat has emerged as one of the deadliest manifestations of a warming planet, with mass casualty events occurring from India to Australia.
  • The lawsuit also includes claims of creating a public nuisance and a failure to warn under Washington's product liability act.
  • Juliana Leon's daughter, Misti, is seeking monetary damages, but the complaint does not request a specific amount of money.
  • The campaign to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate change-damage has gained momentum in recent years, with states and cities bringing similar lawsuits.

Statistics:

  • 600 more people died in Oregon and Washington than would have been typical for a week in late June in 2021 due to the heat dome.
  • The death toll from a 2022 heat wave in Europe was over 60,000 people.
  • Heat deaths have doubled in the United States in recent decades.
  • Average global temperatures in 2024 were more than 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than those experienced at the start of the industrial age.

Sources:

  • State court in Washington
  • Exxon Mobil
  • Chevron
  • Shell
  • BP
  • ConocoPhillips
  • Phillips 66
  • Olympic Pipeline Company
  • World Weather Attribution
  • The New York Times
  • Public Citizen
  • The Center for Climate Integrity
  • Harvard Environmental Law Review