I can envisage, in the future, people who have suffered as a result of global warming attempting to sue oil companies, power companies and even the governments of industrialised nations, perhaps for negligence in the way that they have continued to emit global warming gasses after the link between emissions of carbon and global warming became generally accepted or at least accepted as likely.
Is this possible? Will they win? What are the consequences?
2007-03-14 04:48:39 · 9 answers · asked by AT 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Your question is too late. California has already filed suit against the 6 largest auto companies for their role in carbon emissions. You can read the story here:
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=06-P13-00038&segmentID=5
Remember, where there is money to be made there will be lawsuits!!
2007-03-14 05:08:32 · answer #1 · answered by Pooky Bear the Sensitive 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't envision people who have suffered as a result of global warming.
See that's the problem - you have to PROVE
(A) you've been harmed
(B) a specific person acted
(C) that person CAUSED the harm
There are other elements but let's assume those are given.
I don't see how you do this - even if what Al Gore says is TRUE you'd have to have a class of defendants that included every emitter of CO2 - if you didn't, the defendants would first seek to bring in every other CO2 emitter as a co-defendant and that alone would take years. So on (B) alone it's unworkable.
And what's your case on (A)? I don't think a sea level rise of a few millimeters is something people would sue over and it'll be your grandchildren's grandchildren suiing for more than that.
And (C) you don't have yet, if you're ever going to have it, anyway.
So I just don't see this.
2007-03-14 04:55:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No theres no way posible this can happen. WERE ALL GUILTY! of global warming. Everybody that drives, or rides in a car, bus, plane etc. China is to blame from more then half the carbon released in the world.
2007-03-14 04:56:15 · answer #3 · answered by letthepartybeginnow 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You might see such suits attempted but they will not win. The problem is that global warming is caused by nature and man. When it comes to man there are hundreds of thousands of culprits, including you and me. Singling out select targets would be impossible.
2007-03-14 04:52:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
People will sue for anything but this ones a loser yes you prove that someone has contributed to global warming(all of us)but how do you prove that their contribution was responsible for your particular problem?
2007-03-14 07:07:45 · answer #5 · answered by frankturk50 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Where would you start or finish such a suit, oil companies, governments, big industry, road planning, private motorists, dairy farmers, anyone who eats beef or dairy, the cows themsleves. Who really is to blame?
2007-03-14 05:35:09 · answer #6 · answered by Skippy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would be impossible to prove responsibility of anyone. It would also be impossible to prove beyond reasonable doubt the actions man are fully responsible for global warming.
2007-03-14 04:54:00 · answer #7 · answered by Barry Von Leotard III 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
because those people who sue are part of the problems too because they exhale CO2 out and cause Global Warming.
2007-03-14 04:54:46 · answer #8 · answered by Quickie D 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think so. Wouldn't it have to be a class action law suit against all of mankind?
2007-03-14 05:05:14 · answer #9 · answered by cola 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋