Rhode Islanders will have to work together to transform our energy ... - The Providence Journal

Rhode Islanders will have to work together to transform our energy system and solve the climate crisis.

Fossil fuel companies must be held accountable for role in climate crisis | Opinion

Everett Pope is vice president for development at the Environment Council of Rhode Island. Greg Gerritt is director of research, Prosperity For Rhode Island.

In a recent commentary, Doug Gablinske – former executive director of TEC-RI, a coalition of large corporate energy users – criticized the state’s pending lawsuit against large fossil fuel companies. The case, brought by the Office of Attorney General Peter Neronha, seeks to hold fossil fuel giants liable for decades of intentional efforts to deceive regulators and the public on the causes and impacts of climate change, and recover some of the costs that the state has incurred and will continue to incur because of the climate crisis. Rather than sue fossil fuel companies, Mr. Gablinske says, Rhode Island should partner with them, while recognizing that “fossil fuel supplies are critical to public health, welfare and safety.”

This outlook ignores both the urgency of the climate crisis and the active role that fossil fuel companies have played in delaying necessary action. Mr. Gablinske mentions the high utility prices in Rhode Island and tells us we should be investing in infrastructure instead of lawsuits with polluters. We need to do both. The people bringing the lawsuits do not control utility prices and are simply seeking additional tools to stop the pollution. The industry is working to stop progress and protect profits. Ultimately it is our job as global citizens to strive to be the best steward for the little corner of the world that we inhabit, as well as working to solve the root causes of climate change.

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Climate change is here now, bringing hotter summers, rising seas, and more frequent and severe storms. 2023 is on track to be the hottest on record, Rhode Islanders have been hit with a wave of intense rainfall events and flash floods. These impacts of our changing climate will only get worse in the future. In addition to driving the climate crisis, fossil fuels also contribute to other public health crises with toxic air pollution. A recent study found that eliminating air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels would save tens of thousands of lives in the U.S. annually. Contrary to Mr. Gablinske’s claims, continued reliance on fossil fuels is one of the greatest threats to our public health, welfare, and safety.

Last year – when skyrocketing natural gas prices caused Rhode Islanders’ utility bills to reach record highs– fossil fuels demonstrated that they have highly volatile prices, often changing based on events on the other side of the world. The best way to protect our natural environment and guard against sudden, unpredictable rate increases is to transition to sustainable energy.

Rhode Islanders will have to work together to transform our energy system and solve the climate crisis. It’s not a task that we can leave just to corporations that have long used their immense wealth and power to delay change. Yes, climate change should be addressed by Congress. But fossil fuel companies have been using their money and influence to stop Congress from taking meaningful action to address the climate crisis, and people are dying.

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Citizens and states have turned to our legal system in the hopes that our courts are a place where facts still matter, and where the harms that these companies have perpetrated can start to be redressed. Recently a Montana court ruled that young people in the state have a right to a healthy environment, and that the state must consider potential climate damage when approving projects.

Rhode Island needs bold climate action that needs to include using the legal system to ensure that fossil fuel companies are forced to help pay for the crisis they have contributed to. We are confident that Rhode Island’s courts are capable of giving the state’s climate case a fair and impartial hearing.