Environmental organized crime: Liability of oil giants under the RICO Act.

The article discusses the historical acknowledgment and response of the oil and gas industry to climate change, highlighting the American Petroleum Institute's (API) early recognition of carbon dioxide's impact on the environment in 1959. It details how major companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, and Chevron initially engaged in climate modeling but later shifted to campaigns that downplayed the risks of fossil fuels to protect profits. The article also explores the potential application of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to hold these companies accountable for their role in the climate crisis, suggesting that their coordinated efforts to mislead the public could constitute a pattern of racketeering activity. Ultimately, it argues that fossil fuel companies may be liable for defrauding the public regarding the realities of climate change. [Extracted from the article]