We've known about climate change for over forty years now,and it has been a major political issue for twenty. And yet fossil fuel companies have kept polluting with impunity, while government have looked the other way and twiddled their thumbs and refused to do anything because "the economy", or just because its too hard. And one of the reasons for this is that none of those involved fear being held accountable for it in any way. Its not as if they're ever going to go to jail for burning the planet, right?
Wrong:
The world’s most polluting companies could be sued for their contributions to global warming, a major human rights inquiry has found in what has been described as a “landmark victory for climate justice”.
The head of a Philippines Commission on Human Rights panel, which has been investigating climate change for three years, revealed its conclusions on Monday that major fossil fuel firms may be held legally responsible for the impacts of their carbon emissions.
[...]
The commission was tasked in 2016 by Greenpeace South-East Asia and other local environmental groups whether 47 of the world’s biggest fossil fuel firms – including Shell, BP, ExxonMobil and Total – were violating the rights of Filipino citizens. It held hearings in Manila, New York and London where it heard from scientists, lawyers and people who had suffered from climate-related disasters.
Its final report, which has yet to be published, will say that these companies have clear legal and moral responsibilities to act, which includes shifting away from fossil fuels and investing in cleaner energy sources.
The next step is to drag the fuckers into court for their ongoing global human rights violations. Because climate change is not some abstract, impersonal force. It is the result of decisions by individuals. Like the slogan says, the planet is not dying, it is being killed - and those responsible have names and addresses. And it is time we put them on trial and held them accountable for it.
