Prosecuting Climate Homicide: Voters Support Holding Fossil Fuel Giants Legally Accountable for Climate Change
By Margo Kenyon
As not only climate scientists but also the general public become increasingly concerned globally regarding Big Oil’s role in deceiving the public about climate change, legal action to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for climate homicide may not be as far-fetched as it once seemed. Recent polling from Data for Progress finds that 62% of voters believe that oil and gas companies should be held accountable for their contributions to climate change. This includes 84% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and 40% of Republicans.
Moreover, among respondents who believe that the fossil fuel industry should be held legally accountable, 54% feel that the industry should be held legally accountable for endangering the public and causing potential harm to the public in the future. More than 2 in 5 respondents also believe that the fossil fuel industry should be held legally accountable for both the loss of plants and wildlife (43%) and human deaths (43%) that have occurred as the result of warming weather and extreme weather events.
On the contrary, those who do not think oil and gas companies should be held legally accountable largely cite concerns regarding a lack of a legal basis for this action (41%). Legal concerns appear to be a more prominent reason for this opinion, as opposed to a lack of belief in climate change (29%) or a belief that the fossil fuel industry did not contribute to climate change (23%).
Although there is still some skepticism regarding how such charges would be enforced, almost half of likely voters (49%) indicate that they would be in support of criminal charges brought against the fossil fuel industry to hold it accountable for deaths caused by its contributions to climate change. The strongest supporters are Democrats (68%), Black voters (56%), and voters under 45 (54%). Notably, nearly a third of Republicans (32%) are also in support of this measure.
Voters were also asked to what extent they agree with a statement saying that oil and gas companies knew fossil fuels contribute to climate change over 70 years ago and then proceeded to lead a disinformation campaign that has resulted in extreme weather and negative health effects. A majority of voters agree with this statement (60%), including 83% of Democrats and more than 2 in 5 Republicans (42%).
After answering this statement, respondents were re-asked whether they support or oppose the proposal from legal groups seeking to bring criminal charges against the fossil fuel industry to hold it accountable for deaths caused by its contributions to climate change. The results remain similar to the previous question about legal accountability, with 69% of Democrats, 55% of Black voters, and 55% of voters under 45 in support.
These survey results indicate that voters are well aware of the negative impacts that the fossil fuel industry has had — and continues to have — on the environment and human health. As climate change only continues to worsen, Americans appear to be warming up to the idea of filing criminal charges against the fossil fuel industry to hold it accountable for deaths caused by climate change.
Margo Kenyon is the Climate and Energy Program Intern at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology
From May 3 to 4, 2024, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,206 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and 2020 recalled vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration. For more information please visit dataforprogress.org/our-methodology.