News | 17 July 2017

Canada: Local government demands fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share of climate costs

Many regions are affected by the increase of climate-induced events such as wildfires and droughts caused by climate change impacts. The District of Highlands, a Southern Vancouver Island municipality (Canada) sent a "Climate Accountability Letter" to 20 of the world's largest fossil fuel companies – demanding them to pay their fair share of the climate costs suffered by the District. This initiative follows the approach of the climate lawsuit "Saúl Luciano LLiuya against RWE" which is supported by Germanwatch and demands that one of the largest emitters in Europe – the energy company RWE – pays its fair share of the costs for necessary protection measures in order to avert a devastating flood disaster due to climate change induced glacial retreat.
More information on the Highlands "Climate Accountability Letters" can be found on www.wcel.org/media-release/highlands-district-asks-fossil-fuel-companies-pay-fair-share-climate-costs and www.highlands.bc.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3538?fileID=4017