New analysis highlights the increasing need for robust evidence to hold entities accountable for climate change-related damages, according to a senior analyst at InfluenceMap.
Emmett Connaire adn InfluenceMap
Emmett Connaire is a senior analyst at InfluenceMap, a UK-based think tank that maps and analyzes the lobbying efforts of corporations and industry groups. InfluenceMap focuses on climate change and energy policy.
Connaire stated that rigorous evidence is “essential” for determining accountability for climate-related losses. He added that the findings of a recent analysis “underscore the growing importance of this kind of rigorous evidence.”
Accountability for Climate-Related losses
Determining accountability for climate-related losses is a complex legal and political challenge. It involves establishing a causal link between greenhouse gas emissions and specific damages, such as extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and agricultural losses.
Several legal cases are currently underway seeking to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their contributions to climate change. For example, in 2023, the state of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, alleging that the company knowingly misled the public about the risks of climate change. massachusetts Attorney General’s Office press release
The concept of “loss and damage” gained prominence during the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh,Egypt. Parties agreed to establish a loss and damage fund to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. UN Press Release
The Role of Evidence
Establishing a clear evidentiary basis is crucial for successful climate litigation and for securing funding from loss and damage mechanisms. This evidence includes scientific data on climate change attribution, economic assessments of damages, and documentation of corporate lobbying efforts to obstruct climate action.
As an example, research published in 2023 by the Climate Attribution and Legal Initiative (CALI) demonstrated the feasibility of attributing specific extreme weather events to fossil fuel emissions. Climate Attribution and Legal Initiative
