110 - Big Oil on trial

Can Exxon, Chevron, and Shell be held accountable?

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The Climate Mentor
February 26th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Are oil giants finally facing justice for climate change? 👨🏻‍⚖️

For decades, fossil fuel companies have been accused of misleading the public about climate change.

Now, in a groundbreaking legal decision, a U.S. federal judge has ruled that ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and six other major oil companies must face a lawsuit from Puerto Rican municipalities.

These communities, devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, claim that Big Oil not only contributed to climate change but deliberately hid the risks for profit. 

With legal momentum growing, could this case set a precedent for future climate litigation?

A bar chart from Statista displaying the annual net income (in billion U.S. dollars) of major oil and gas companies—ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, and Chevron—from 2021 to 2023. ExxonMobil reported $55.7B in 2022, dropping to $36.0B in 2023. Shell's profits peaked at $39.9B in 2022 and declined to $28.3B in 2023. TotalEnergies showed steadier gains, rising from $16.0B in 2021 to $21.4B in 2023. Chevron's earnings fluctuated, peaking at $35.5B in 2022 before falling to $21.4B in 2023. The chart highlights the financial power of oil giants despite growing climate litigation and environmental concerns.

Oil & Gas giants' profits: tens of billions in annual net income

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