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From Common Dreams
Summary
- A new poll from Data for Progress found that a majority of U.S. voters support civil lawsuits against fossil fuel companies for their role in creating the climate crisis.
- Public interest groups have supported this legal action, arguing that fossil fuel companies spread disinformation about climate consequences.
- The poll also indicated growing support for criminal charges against Big Oil, with 49% of voters in favor.
- Experts argue that fossil fuel companies should be held accountable for deceiving the public about the harms of their products and subsequently preventing regulation.
- The idea of criminal prosecution against Big Oil is gaining traction among American experts.
A majority of U.S. voters support civil lawsuits against fossil fuel companies for their role in creating the climate crisis, while roughly half support criminal charges, a new poll from Data for Progress found.
The poll results, released Tuesday, indicate support for the dozens of civil cases against Big Oil currently in U.S. courts, many of which were brought by municipalities or states. In a sample of over 1,000 respondents, 62% of likely voters said that they supported legal accountability for oil and gas companies for “their contributions to climate change,” including 84% of Democrats and 40% of Republicans.
“Voters strongly want to see companies held accountable for their harmful actions,” Grace Adcox, a climate strategist at Data for Progress, told The Guardian.
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Read the full post at Common Dreams.
