2. Big oil in the dock

Available for over a year

Is big oil trying to mislead the public about what it’s doing about climate change? Several US states are suing some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, accusing them of “greenwashing”. They claim the fossil fuel industry is deceiving consumers about how much it’s actually doing to tackle climate change. Accusations which are strongly denied by the companies who may face having to make huge compensation payouts if they lose in court. At the heart of many of these cases are adverts which highlight how energy giants are supporting greener, more sustainable solutions, but do not mention their much greater investment in developing new oil and gas fields. Questions about this alleged deception have now entered the political arena with big oil’s top brass being invited to appear before the US Congress. So, why do these lawsuits matter so much? In this episode, we head to Massachusetts where one such case is playing out in the courts.