The case for prosecuting fossil fuel companies for homicide
"In today’s thinking, tort law—the law of civil wrongs—seeks economically efficient outcomes: The question is about whether one party should give another some money. Criminal law, by contrast, is concerned with society’s fundamental values—with morality. It answers whether conduct is permissible or forbidden. Where tort law prices misconduct, criminal law prohibits it.
" If someone substantially contributes to or accelerates a death, that counts as “causing” it. If they did so intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, that counts as “culpable mental state.” "
Well, #ExxonKnew. #ShellKnew. They all knew, very early on and with astonishing accuracy, what the burning of their product will do. They not only kept on selling the product at great profit, they lied about it.
"A coalition of oil and car manufacturing interests in 1954 funded Keeling’s earliest work in measuring CO2 levels across the western US, the documents reveal.
Experts say the documents show the fossil fuel industry had intimate involvement in the inception of modern climate science, along with its warnings of the severe harm #ClimateChange will wreak, only to then publicly deny this science for decades and fund ongoing efforts to delay action on the climate crisis."
We know that #ExxonKnew, and #ShellKnew about climate change at a very early stage, but now it transpires that car manufacturers and banks also knew.
"A total of 18 automotive companies, including Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, gave money to the foundation. Other entities, including banks and retailers, also contributed funding."
There is much more than just #ShellKnew to be said about the culprits of this #ClimataCrisis who should me made to pay for this disaster they created knowingly:
So, it's okay to destroy #Indigenous heritage sites, pollute the planet, and appoint corporate lackeys to advisory boards -- but if you protest and cause disruption, you could face arrest?
"In May, after several #ExtinctionRebellion protests, the South Australia government introduced a A$50,000 maximum fine and three months jail for anyone 'recklessly' obstructing public spaces, while laws passed in New South Wales last year created a two-year maximum prison sentence for acts disrupting major roads or facilities.
"#England, #Wales and parts of #Canada and the #USA have also adopted similar laws aimed at blocking disruptive climate activism.
"In Western Australia, climate protesters say they have been 'disabled' by intimidating raids, strict bail conditions and orders which give authorities access to their devices and ban them from communicating with peers.
"According to Ms Grix, these tools were originally intended to deal with gangs and drug dealers.
"'To apply [that]... to climate defenders, who are protesting about environmental concerns, seems to be a massive overreach,' she says."
Not only #ExxonKnew, but also #ShellKnew, way before 1986 as we have thought so far.
"#Shell already began collecting knowledge about climate change in the 1960s. The company not only kept well abreast of #climate science, but also funded research. As a result, Shell already knew in the 1970s that burning #FossilFuels could lead to alarming #ClimateChange."
They did nothing to curb fossil fuels. In fact, they doubled down and developed #coal.
“This new set of documents further demonstrates that #Shell privately knew about the dangers its products would cause to the environment yet continued to deceive the public in pursuit of company profits. This is wrong and potentially illegal,” said U.S. Representative Ted Lieu of California.
"With more proof of Shell’s climate deception, Rep. Ted Lieu is once again urging the Department of Justice to look into whether fossil fuel companies broke the law."