Hawaii faces millions in climate change costs

There are many falsehoods in Christopher Appel’s defense of Big Oil companies, but the most outrageous claim is that these major climate polluters are “leading” the work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (“Climate-change lawsuits bad for environment, Hawaii residents,” Star-Advertiser, Commentary, Dec. 17).

According to ExxonMobil’s own 2019 Outlook for Energy, there will be no reductions in the carbon dioxide emitted by fossil fuel companies through 2040, and no plans whatsoever for these emissions to reach zero. For too long, money and energy were put into creating misinformation and doubt, instead of these companies using the massive resources at their disposal to actually help solve the existential threat of climate change. Now Hawaii taxpayers are facing millions of dollars in costs to counter the rising seas and extreme weather Big Oil’s business helped create.

Courts exist to protect the public and hold bad actors accountable. That’s exactly what Honolulu and Maui’s lawsuits against Big Oil will seek to do.

Jun Shin, Kaheka
YPDA Environmental Justice Action Committee Chair