EARTH IN CRISIS | OPINION: No Protections For Big Oil
Reject Legal Immunity For Fossil Fuel Polluters
By Tracey MacDermott | For the GPHN
Have you noticed the unseasonably warm weather in Colorado? What about the lack of snow on our mountaintops and throughout the Denver Metro area? The state is undergoing one of the driest and warmest winters on record. Our ski industry is suffering, and the lack of snowpack poses significant risks to the water supply.
Vail Resorts reported significant declines in Colorado through early January, with ski shop sales down 20 to 30 percent compared to a typical winter. Vail is projecting a 6.8 percent decline in total revenues.
Last month the Winter Olympics took place in Milan and Cortina, Italy. It has been 70 years since Cortina held the Winter Games. From 1956 to now, the average February temperatures in Cortina have increased by 6.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is not the only statistic that should raise concern for the future of the Winter Olympics. The number of reliable locations to host the Winter Games has already gone down from 93 potential sites to only 52. By mid-century only four of those potential host sites will have enough natural snow to host the Games.
Fossil fuels are the primary force driving climate change. The United Nations estimates that fossil fuels account for 68 percent of total greenhouse emissions. Considering this information, should oil and gas companies be exempt from legal responsibility? If you are thinking no, check this out.
Fossil fuel companies are collaborating with members of Congress and the White House to shield themselves from future lawsuits. They aim to establish legal immunity for fossil fuel polluters so as to absolve them of any responsibility for climate disasters.
As early as the 1950s and 1960s, oil industry executives — through their own funded research — knew about the greenhouse effect.
Per the Journal of Science, “in 2015 investigative journalists discovered internal company memos indicating that Exxon oil company has known since the late 1970s that its fossil fuel products could lead to global warming with dramatic environmental effects before the year 2050.” Additional documents show that the U.S. oil and gas industry had actually known of these dangers for decades.
What do you do if you know your product could lead to climate disasters? In this case, you create a misinformation campaign.
For decades, the oil and gas industry led a well-funded misinformation campaign regarding climate change. In 2021, The U.S. House of Representatives’ Oversight Committee wrote to ExxonMobil chief executive Darren Woods, noting its concern that “to protect … profits, the industry has reportedly led a coordinated effort to spread disinformation to mislead the public and prevent crucial action to address climate change.”
Which brings us to 2026. The Climate Reality Project (CRP) notes that the U.S. endured 23 extreme weather and climate disasters, resulting in 276 deaths. Yet, while American families are paying the price for extreme weather events, oil companies continue to profit — and are working to skirt legal and financial accountability. The CRP reports that with an industry-friendly administration in power, fossil fuel lobbyists are now plotting with members of Congress and the White House to shield Big Oil from lawsuits and prevent states from taking climate action.
Shouldn’t communities have the right to hold these companies liable for damage from climate-related disasters?
What can you do? Sign the petition at the following link urging Congress to reject legal immunity for fossil fuel polluters that fuel climate disasters: tinyurl.com/PayForClimateDisasters
What else can you do to help the climate? Stay engaged. We need to pay attention to the industry’s efforts to avoid accountability for the damage it causes.
And finally, do not forget to water your trees. They need extra care during these unseasonably dry periods.
Tracey MacDermott is an at-large board member of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017. She chairs the Sustainability Committee for the Business and Professional Women of Colorado and the National Federation for Business and Professional Women. Email her at
traceymacdermott@gmail.com