For far to long fossil fuel companies have polluted the planet without any apparent regard to what their products do to the environment. There is documented evidence that the biggest of these corporations had knowledge of how dangerous continued use of fossil fuels would be for human health.  The U.N. has stated we must stop this pollution if we want to mitigate the extreme weather that has been caused by this pollution.  California communities are under siege by escalating fires, floods, droughts, and other disasters. From 1980–2024, 46 extreme weather and climate disaster events impacted California, with losses exceeding $1 billion each. 

As the world saw vast areas of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties burn in January 2025 the reality of the level of destruction that a warming planet can inflict hit home. Globally, just 57 companies are attributed with 80% of planet-heating pollution. Yet these companies rake in billions every year. Chevron, for example, put away $30 billion in profits in 2023. Meanwhile, California is facing a budget shortfall of $32 billion and growing after the L.A. fires — which killed 29 people and burned over 18,000 structures, according to NBC News.

Fires are getting worse because of rising temperatures.  Yet those responsible for the lion’s share of that rise are “desperately trying to avoid accountability,” said former Culver City mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells, in the Guardian. “Accountability is an existential threat to their business model, and their business model is an existential threat to all of us.”  

Californians and the state have been saddled with massive bills for climate disasters. Cities and counties have had to pick up the tab for the costs of climate destruction, stretching scarce local resources.

California is the forth largest economy in the world. It may be possible to make these polluters pay for the damages. New York passed a climate superfund bill in December 2024, following Vermont.