Saturday, January 13, 2018

De Blasio: Oil Companies Should Pay for Damage from Climate-Change Induced Superstorm Sandy




De Blasio: Oil Companies Should Pay for Damage from Climate-Change Induced Superstorm Sandy
by Penny Starr11 Jan 2018
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that he is suing the largest oil companies in the United States for what he says is the fossil fuel industry’s role in causing climate change.

The lawsuit seeks billions in compensation for the damage done from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and more money to pay for preparing the city for future climate change-related events.

“The city of New York is taking on these five giants because they are the central actors, they are the first ones responsible for this crisis, and they should not get away with it anymore,” de Blasio said in a Washington Post report. “We’re going after those who have profited.”

“And what a horrible, disgusting way to profit — the way it puts so many people’s lives in danger,” de Blasio said. “It’s time that they are held accountable.”

The storm killed 53 people and caused an estimated $19 billion in damages.

The Post reported:

The suit, filed Tuesday against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil, claims the companies together produced 11 percent of all of global warming gases through the oil and gas products they have sold over the years.

It also charges that the companies and the industry have known for some time about the “consequences of climate change” but sought to obscure them.

“In this litigation, the city seeks to shift the costs of protecting the city from climate change impacts back onto the companies that have done nearly all they could to create this existential threat,” attorney Zachary Carter said of the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The mayor also called for the city to divest billions of dollars in city pension funds invested in the oil and gas industry.

Politico reported:

The mayor will also call on several of the city’s pension funds to divest from oil companies, two sources with knowledge of the announcement confirmed to Politico.

The mayor’s call for divestment, which will ultimately have to be voted on by the pension boards, is expected to be supported by City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who in the past has called for coal divestment and recently proposed exploring other means of divestment.

The largest oil and gas trade association in the United States said in the Post report that the mayor should be protecting investors not advancing the climate change agenda.

“Today Mayor de Blasio turned his back on millions of first responders, police officers and public employees who depend on their pensions to provide for themselves and their families in retirement,” Karen Moreau of the American Petroleum Institute, said.

“Government pension managers have a responsibility by law to seek the greatest return for their investors, and pensions that invest in oil and natural gas companies have delivered a stronger return than other investments,” Moreau said.

And the National Manufacturers Association (NAM) criticized the lawsuit and divestment plan, claiming it hurts workers in New York City.

Crain’s New York Business reported:

The National Association of Manufacturers held a conference call with reporters just before de Blasio and city Comptroller Scott Stringer—along with celebrity activists Bill McKibben and Naomi Wolf—declared that the city would dump around $5 billion worth of investments in 190 “horrible, disgusting” fossil-fuel firms over the next five years.

But NAM asserted both actions are ill-considered and hyper-political—damaging both to New Yorkers and long-beleaguered factory employment.

“It’s a fundamental waste of the court’s time and the taxpayer’s resources,” NAM Senior Vice President Linda Kelly said in Crain’s reporting. “The issue of climate change is not an appropriate one for the courts to be trying.”

Crain’s noted that NAM’s executive board includes officials from Exxon Mobil and other companies in the energy and automotive sector.

“Instead of focusing on politics here, Mayor de Blasio should be focusing on his fiduciary duties to New York City’s public employees,” Chris Netram, the industry organization’s vice president of tax and domestic economic policy, said. “The mayor needs to stop playing politics with the pension plans of the police officers, firefighters, and teachers.”

The Post reported responses from three of the oil companies targeted in the lawsuit.

“This lawsuit is factually and legally meritless, and will do nothing to address the serious issue of climate change,” Chevron spokesman Braden Reddall wrote in an email. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global issue that requires global engagement. Should this litigation proceed, it will only serve special interests at the expense of broader policy, regulatory and economic priorities.”

Suzanne McCarron, Exxon’s vice president of public and government affairs, wrote in a blog:

ExxonMobil welcomes any well-meaning and good faith attempt to address the risks of climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global issue and requires global participation and actions. Lawsuits of this kind — filed by trial attorneys against an industry that provides products we all rely upon to power the economy and enable our domestic life — simply do not do that.

“[Climate change] is a complex societal challenge that should be addressed through sound government policy and cultural change to drive low-carbon choices for businesses and consumers, not in the courts,” Curtis Smith, head of U.S. media relations for Shell, wrote in an email.

Let’s connect the dots:

Mayor Bill de Blasio
Bill de Blasio is the New York (NY) mayor, and a director at the Alliance for Downtown New York.

Note: Michael R. Bloomberg was the New York (NY) mayor, a director at the Alliance for Downtown New York, an advocate for the ONE Campaign, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation, is Emma Bloomberg’s father, the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation, a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council, and a friend of Henry A. Kissinger.
John McCain Stays Silent on Involvement in Hoax Trump Dossier After Fusion GPS Revelations (PAST RESEARCH ON THE ONE CAMPAIGN)
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Cindy Hensley McCain is married to Senator John S. McCain III, and was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign, and a lawyer for Sidley Austin LLP.
Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for the Chevron Corp.
ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, the Harlem Children's Zone, the Robin Hood Foundation, the Climate Reality Project, the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the ClimateWorks Foundation.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, Bono attended his 2013 wedding reception, an advisory board member for the Earth Institute (think tank), and a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone.
Bono attended George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception, an advisory board member for the Earth Institute (think tank), and is a co-founder for the ONE Campaign.
ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
U2’s Bono has joined the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund’s Honorary Advisory Board
2013-02-06
ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
Carl-Henric Svanberg was an advisory board member for the Earth Institute (think tank), and is the chairman for BP p.l.c.
Robin Hood Foundation raised money for the Hurricane Sandy relief.
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund is a relief organization for Hurricane Sandy.
Mary Pat Christie is the chair for the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, married to Christopher J. Christie, and Cam Henderson was her chief of staff.
Christopher J. Christie is married to Mary Pat Christie, the New Jersey state government governor, was the candidate for the 2016 Chris Christie presidential campaign, and Kenneth G. Langone was a supporter for 2012 presidential bid.
Christie Allegedly Diverted Millions In Hurricane Sandy Relief Funds To Pay For TV Ads Starring Himself
Igor Volsky
Jan 13, 2014, 1:53 pm
Cam Henderson was the finance director for the 2016 Chris Christie presidential campaign, Mary Pat Christie’s chief of staff, and is an executive director for the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund is a relief organization for Hurricane Sandy.
Robin Hood Foundation raised money for the Hurricane Sandy relief.
Kenneth G. Langone was a supporter for Christopher J. Christie’s 2012 presidential bid, is a trustee at the Harlem Children's Zone, and a director emeritus for the Robin Hood Foundation.
Emma Bloomberg was the chief of staff for the Robin Hood Foundation, is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, Michael R. Bloomberg’s daughter, and a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation.
Michael R. Bloomberg is Emma Bloomberg’s father, the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation, and a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
BP p.l.c. is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
Exxon Mobil Corp. is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
Shell Oil Company is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
Vinod Khosla is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council, and was a partner emeritus for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers was a donor for The Climate Project.
Albert A. Gore Jr. is an adviser for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the chairman for the Climate Reality Project, and was a donor for The Climate Project.
The Climate Project was a merged organization with the Climate Reality Project.
Sam Nunn is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, and was a director at the Chevron Corp.
Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Henry A. Kissinger was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a supporter for Christopher J. Christie’s 2012 presidential bid, is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), the founder of Kissinger Associates, Inc., a friend of Michael R. Bloomberg, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
J. Stapleton Roy was the vice chairman for Kissinger Associates, Inc., and a director at ConocoPhillips.
William K. Reilly was a director at ConocoPhillips, and is the chairman emeritus for the ClimateWorks Foundation.
Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the ClimateWorks Foundation.
Susan F. Tierney is a director at the ClimateWorks Foundation, and was a member of the National Petroleum Council.
Charles O. Holliday Jr. was a director at the ClimateWorks Foundation, and is the chairman for the Royal Dutch Shell plc.
Harold W. McGraw III was a director at ConocoPhillips, and is a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
Christopher J. Christie was a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, the candidate for the 2016 Chris Christie presidential campaign, is the New Jersey state government governor, and married to Mary Pat Christie.
Cam Henderson was the finance director for the 2016 Chris Christie presidential campaign, Mary Pat Christie’s chief of staff, and is an executive director for the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund is a relief organization for Hurricane Sandy.
Mary Pat Christie is married to Christopher J. Christie, the chair for the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, and Cam Henderson was her chief of staff.
Robin Hood Foundation raised money for the Hurricane Sandy relief.
Emma Bloomberg was the chief of staff for the Robin Hood Foundation, is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, Michael R. Bloomberg’s daughter, and a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation.
Michael R. Bloomberg was a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation, is Emma Bloomberg’s father, the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation, and a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
BP p.l.c. is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
Exxon Mobil Corp. is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
Shell Oil Company is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council.
Vinod Khosla is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council, and was a partner emeritus for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers was a donor for The Climate Project.
Albert A. Gore Jr. is an adviser for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the chairman for the Climate Reality Project, and was a donor for The Climate Project.
The Climate Project was a merged organization with the Climate Reality Project.
Sam Nunn is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, and was a director at the Chevron Corp.
Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for the Chevron Corp.
Michelle Obama was a lawyer for Sidley Austin LLP, and an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Cindy Hensley McCain was an advocate for the ONE Campaign, and is married to Senator John S. McCain III.
ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.
John McCain Stays Silent on Involvement in Hoax Trump Dossier After Fusion GPS Revelations (PAST RESEARCH ON THE ONE CAMPAIGN)
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Bono is a co-founder for the ONE Campaign, attended George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception, and an advisory board member for the Earth Institute (think tank).
Carl-Henric Svanberg was an advisory board member for the Earth Institute (think tank), and is the chairman for BP p.l.c.

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