Number
230444
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. BAUMAN
Title
Resolution urging the Wisconsin Attorney General to initiate legal action against the fossil fuel industry.
Analysis
This resolution urges the Wisconsin Attorney General to initiate legal action against major oil and gas companies for climate damages.
Body
Whereas, The fossil fuel industry sought to sow doubt about climate science after its own research accurately predicted devastating damages from climate change as early as the 1980’s; and
Whereas, Climate accountability lawsuits are a powerful tool that communities can use to hold oil and gas corporations accountable for their share of climate-change adaptation costs; and
Whereas, The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that climate-liability lawsuits must be heard in state courts; and
Whereas, According to the Center for Climate Integrity, more than 40 states and municipalities have filed lawsuits that seek to hold major oil and gas corporations accountable for deceiving the public about their central role in the climate crisis; and
Whereas, Litigation against oil and gas companies has fallen to state and local prosecutors because of the difficulty private citizens would have in proving the oil and gas companies directly harmed them; and
Whereas, Many counties and municipalities may lack the capacity to effectively administer complicated and protracted litigation; and
Whereas, In 2019, Wisconsin joined 21 states in a lawsuit against the 2019 Affordable Clean Energy Rule which rolled back carbon emissions standard for power plants which were put in place by the 2015 Clean Power Plan; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Wisconsin State Attorney General is urged to initiate legal action against major oil and gas corporations for climate damages; and, be it
Further Resolved, The City of Milwaukee supports an equitable disbursement of any funds awa...
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