More people are recognizing that the extreme heat waves rocking the globe don’t just come out of nowhere. Instead, a group of Arizona lawyers have found ground for changing oil conglomerates with the death of hundreds of people resulting from the July 2023 heat wave.
Climate scientists claim that the scorching heat wave that we all felt last summer was the direct result of Big Oil burning dirty fuels while releasing harmful warming fumes into the atmosphere.
What Is Happening in Arizona?
State prosecutors are reading to hold big oil and gas companies responsible for several climate disasters and resulting deaths.
As a result of a nasty heat wave in July of last year, hundreds of Arizona residents lost their lives and many more were diagnosed with heat related injuries.
Who Are the Victims?
According to the prosecution memorandum, the people who died as a result of extreme heat in the Grand Canyon State came from a wide demographic of people.
They were of all ages and all socio-economic backgrounds. The memo states, “Some were homeless, like the man who died after breaking both legs jumping over a fence in a desperate attempt to find shade outside an elementary school; others were well off, like the woman who died in her $1 million home in Scottsdale.”
Someone Is to Blame
According to the Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, the memo outlined the effect of the climate disaster on human life.
It also outlined several ways that big oil companies can be made to be held responsible for the reckless manslaughter or second-degree murder of Arizona residents.
Why Is This Legal Action Ground Breaking
The rising global temperatures around the world have finally begun to show irreversible effects. From melting time-bomb glaciers in Antarctica to wildfires across the global and a rising public heath crisis with heat related deaths, the changes are not able to ignored any longer.
According to information from the Environmental Protection Agency, heat waves in the U.S. have increased from roughly 2 deaths per year during the 1960s to an average of 6 deaths during the 2010s and 2020s.
The Impact of Dirty Energy on the Environment
It has been proven that big oil companies are well aware of the negative effects that burning dirty fossil fuels has on the environment.
The large conglomerates continue to choose corporate profits over the health and safety of the public.
Companies Are Knowingly Causing Problems
Aaron Regunberg, senior policy counsel with Public Citizen’s climate program said “As Americans reeled from another lethal heat wave last week, it’s important to remember that these climate disasters didn’t come out of nowhere.”
He reiterated the sentiment that, “They were knowingly caused by fossil fuel companies that chose to inflict this suffering to maintain their profits.”
What Is Being Done?
More than 40 cities and several states have already taken action action Big Oil companies by suing them for their part in causing the climate crisis and denying the impact of dirty energy on the environment.
The lawsuits present could force the hand of oil companies to start taking responsibility for the unintended consequences of their business.
Harmful Pollutants
On top of the changing climate that ultra warning pollutants have created, there are other negative health consequences due to dangerous chemicals that these companies discharge.
For instance, Louisiana has its own “Cancer Alley,” an area with outrageously high levels of cancer due to more than 200 businesses in the area that emit toxic fumes near homes.
Regulations Only Go So Far
Unfortunately, the fight to stop toxic pollutants hitting the air is an uphill battle for the government.
Big companies that incur fines for breaking the Clean Air Act (CAA) usually pay the fine and continue their deadly and dangerous practices.
Why Do These Companies Get Away with It?
The reason why oil companies get away with harming the environment and the climate is that the effects are not immediate. Instead, scientists need years or decades of data to back up the harm caused.
In the meantime, big companies with billions of dollars in profit can launch harmful campaigns to make individual consumers feel guilty about their own behaviour and discredit facts and science.
Can They Be Sued for Death
It can often be difficult to sue large companies for unintended effects. In this case, the death of residents in Arizona will be hard to link to practices of large companies.
However, lawyers involved in the lawsuit are hopeful that they can enact real change and make the world a better, and more comfortable, place for future generations.
