[gpt3] Rewrite this title: California lawsuit says oil giants deceived public on climate, seeks funds for storm damage [/gpt4]

California Launches Lawsuit Against Oil and Gas Giants

The state of California has launched a lawsuit against some of the world’s leading oil and gas companies, alleging they misled the public about the environmental risks of fossil fuels. These fuels are now being implicated in causing climate change-related storms and wildfires that have led to billions of dollars in damages, officials announced last Saturday.

The civil lawsuit, filed in state Superior Court in San Francisco, calls for the creation of a fund, financed by these companies, to cover recovery efforts following catastrophic storms and fires. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom stated that Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and BP, the companies named in the suit, should be held accountable. Highlighting the impact of [wildfires that have obliterated entire communities](https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2) and [record-breaking droughts](https://apnews.com/article/california-drought-snow-rain-storms-d28c947cc8633f741871844c41006b7e), Newsom said, “California taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for billions of dollars in damages.”

Industry Group Responds to Lawsuit

The [American Petroleum Institute](https://www.api.org/), also named in the lawsuit, argued that climate policy should be discussed in Congress rather than the courtroom. Ryan Meyers, the institute’s senior vice president, dismissed the lawsuit as a meritless, politicized campaign against an essential American industry. [Shell](https://www.shell.us/) echoed these sentiments, stating that the courtroom is not the appropriate place to address global warming and advocating for a collaborative approach to climate change.

California’s legal action follows a series of similar lawsuits filed by other states and municipalities in recent years. The 135-page complaint alleges that the companies have known since the 1960s that fossil fuel consumption would lead to global warming and climate change but intentionally downplayed the threat in public statements and marketing. It accuses the companies of launching a disinformation campaign from the 1970s to discredit the growing scientific consensus on climate change and deny associated risks.

California’s Aggressive Stance on Climate Change

State Attorney General [Rob Bonta](https://oag.ca.gov/about) supported the lawsuit, stating that the companies’ lies and false information have furthered their record-breaking profits at the expense of the environment. Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, hailed California’s decision as a watershed moment in the expanding legal fight to hold major polluters accountable.

California, a heavily Democratic state and birthplace of the modern environmental movement, is pushing for an increase in solar power and other clean energy sources. The state aims to reduce emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Despite being the seventh-largest oil producer in the nation, according to federal data, state regulators have banned the sale of [most new gas-powered cars](https://apnews.com/article/technology-california-air-resources-board-climate-and-environment-dc75c11280f85a8ab134cf392497be68) by 2035.

However, Governor Newsom has not always aligned himself with the environmental advocacy wing. Tensions have arisen over updates to the state’s [aging water delivery system](https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-gavin-newsom-environment-tension-8397bb5593075bbf71445224ed101578), new permits for [oil and gas wells](https://apnews.com/article/california-oil-wells-gavin-newsom-lawsuit-1fc053491a5f37bccef6b42837dc6e85), and the handling of water from storm-swollen rivers. Critics say diverting too much water could be [a death sentence for salmon](https://apnews.com/article/politics-gavin-newsom-california-business-climate-and-environment-2863facfcd6d308f8eb178ec55aaa8dc) and other threatened fish species.

Original Story at apnews.com – 2023-09-17 00:57:00