NYC Files Consumer Protection Lawsuit Against Big Oil Companies

NEW YORK CITY - New York City today filed a new consumer protection lawsuit against three of the world’s biggest climate polluters — ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP — and the largest oil and gas trade association, the American Petroleum Institute, for engaging in deceptive trade practices “about the central role their products play in causing the climate crisis,” in violation of the city’s consumer protection law. 

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

“Oil and gas executives caused the climate crisis, then systematically lied about it. They need to be held accountable. Exxon, Shell, BP, and API have spent decades targeting policymakers and the public with climate disinformation. It’s time for policymakers everywhere to realize that oil and gas executives will never be good faith partners in climate solutions.” 

Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld the dismissal of an earlier lawsuit New York City filed in federal court to hold some of the same corporations accountable for the cost of climate damages they knowingly caused. Today’s lawsuit is different because it is filed in New York State Supreme Court, alleging violations of New York City’s consumer protection law.