A group of activists is using Groundhog Day to address the climate crisis rather than make predictions about it.
Groundhog’s Guide to Suing Big Oil is a free public event being held on Groundhog Day (Feb. 2) by Victoria’s regional Sue Big Oil (SBO) team and West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL).
“The seasons and the transitions between them that Groundhog Day celebrates have been messed up by global fossil fuel pollution and climate change," said Susan Draper, of the Broad View United Church Caring for Creation Small Group, who will be hosting the event.
"It is the perfect day to talk about the costs and impacts Victoria is experiencing due to increased storms and coastal erosion in the Winter and drought, wildfire smoke and heat waves in the Summer."
“International oil and gas companies have known for decades that their products would cause the rising global temperatures we experience today, resulting in heat domes, floods, droughts, wildfires, severe storms and other alarming and costly changes to our planet’s environment.”
The event – running from 2 to 4 p.m. at Broadview United Church, 3703 St. Aidans St. – will feature video clips and presentations from speakers who will lead discussions on local climate action. It is sponsored by WCEL and Broadview United Church’s Caring for Creation group.
The goal is to encourage local governments to join a class-action lawsuit against big oil companies. Ideally, the money recouped would be directed toward climate action and reduce costs for local taxpayers.
Victoria Coun. Susan Kim is scheduled to speak at the event, along with WCEL representative Andrew Gage.
“Our communities will all end up paying for climate one way or another, but we need to seek compensation for a fair share of those costs from the companies that have played such a massive role in causing climate change," said Gage.
"The people who join us on Groundhog Day will discuss the costs of climate change that Greater Victoria is experiencing and the role of the fossil fuel industry in contributing to those costs. But we hope that they will come away inspired by the power that our communities have to protect our right to a healthy atmosphere and to hold global fossil fuel companies accountable for their share of the climate crisis.”
Kim will discuss climate-related costs in Greater Victoria and explain why municipalities should act to protect taxpayers. According to the Sue Big Oil team, if Victoria allocated $1 per resident, it would be enough to have the case certified as a class-action lawsuit seeking damages from Big Oil.
Gage will outline the details of the proposed lawsuit and its potential for success.
According to SBO, such lawsuits are not uncommon. In the United States, 40 cities and states have launched legal action against fossil fuel companies. SBO is encouraging collaboration among B.C. communities to follow suit.
“By working with other local governments on a class-action lawsuit, we can keep the costs manageable and avoid risks,” SBO said.
The campaign has already recruited several municipalities to join the case, including View Royal, and other Vancouver Island communities such as Cumberland and Qualicum Beach. Mainland municipalities like Burnaby and Port Moody have also joined.
The campaign has been endorsed by more than 40 organizations and over 13,000 individuals.
