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April 10, 2007

Kavalina, Alaska and Climate Change

May 13, 2008 10:48 AM EDT

views: 259 | comments: 4

Cyclone Nargis may have killed 100,000 in Myanmar's Irriwaddy Delta. Missouri, Oklahoma and GeorgiaUS this year. Many can't help asking if this is global warming's not-so-invisible hand? are reeling from a whirl of tornadoes last weekend – 654 twisters so far in the in the US this year. Many can't help asking if this is global warming's not-so-invisible hand?

Meanwhile, way up on the northwest coast of Alaska, the village of Kivalina is piling sandbags against a rising sea. Villagers say it's climate change and they've filed papers suing top US energy companies for damages.

And two of the country's top trial attorneys – who squared off on opposite sides of an epic Big Tobacco lawsuit a decade ago – are this time lined up together – for Kivalina, and against Exxon Mobil, Chevron and a whole lot more.

Listen to an On Point discussion about going after Big Energy for global warming, the courts and climate change.

Could we sue our way out of this climate change mess? Sue our way to change mess? Sue our way to change? Or do the courts sound like the wrong venue for fixing the planet? Would we have to sue ourselves? Our cars? Our SUVs?

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Comments: 4

Richard B. May 13, 2008, 11:59am EDT

Suing others and thinking that will get us out of the climate change isn't going to work.

The North Pacific is warmer and the water vapor is higher because of that. That's all one need know.

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Tom Moore May 13, 2008, 6:36pm EDT

I recently visited Kivalina. For another look at the village, with video and stories on the role faith plays in the village, see this Washington Post/Newsweek blog:
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/findingfaith/2008/05/taking_refuge_in_faith.html

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Rude D. May 13, 2008, 7:42pm EDT

There was a Medical Dr. who wanted to sue KFC for unhealthy food but the judge threw out his lawsuit. Someone else wanted to sue fast food for making them fat, another judge threw it out. Although the way the right talked, you'd think it was still in the courts.
We are all co-conspirators.
The ones who need sued are those in the small miniscule minority denying climate change. Oh I forgot, they NOW admit climate change but deny that billions of humans in this world had anything to do with it.

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Phyllis E. May 14, 2008, 12:35pm EDT

I hope the legal team considers including provisions that would compel Big Oiil to invest substantiallyl in renewal sources of energy. At a minimum, 50% of their net profits could usefully propel us into energy leadership globally. What they are doing at present doesn't even rise to the level of 'gesture' in this direction.

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