Chicago Sues Big Oil for Climate Deception

CHICAGO —  The City of Chicago has sued ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66, and the American Petroleum Institute to make them pay for lying to the public for decades about their fossil fuel products’ central role in the climate crisis, joining a growing nationwide wave of climate accountability lawsuits against Big Oil. 

The third largest city in the United States now joins dozens of states and municipalities across the country — collectively representing more than 25% of all Americans — that are taking fossil fuel companies to court to hold them accountable for decades of climate deception. 

Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, released the following statement: 

“Big Oil has lied to the American people for decades about the catastrophic climate risks of their products, and now Chicago and communities across the country are rightfully insisting they pay for the damage they’ve caused. 

“With Chicago, the nation’s third largest city, joining the fray, there is no doubt that we are witnessing a historic wave of lawsuits that could finally hold Big Oil accountable for the climate crisis they knowingly caused.”