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Highlands demands oil companies pay for share of District's climate change-related costs

 

The District of Highlands has sent a letter addressed to 20 of the world's largest oil companies demanding the firms pay a "fair share" of the costs incurred by the District through climate change.

 

"We expect your industry to take cradle to grave responsibility for your product – and that starts by taking responsibility for its effects in the atmosphere and the resulting harm to communities," the letter, sent out on the 13th of July, states.

 

The District followed up its campaign with more letters, this time submitted to its neighbouring municipalities within the Capital Regional District (CRD) of southern Vancouver Island urging them to follow Highlands' lead.

 

The West Coast Environmental Law Association (WCELA), which issued its own statement applauding the move by Highlands, claims the act was the "first of its kind sent by a local government anywhere in the world."

 

WCELA's press release says that "communities everywhere must follow Highlands in questioning the right of fossil fuel companies to make hundreds of billions of dollars extracting oil, gas and coal without also taking responsibility for the harm caused by those products."

 

It is unclear whether the District has received any responses to its campaign, nor have other municipalities within the CRD announced that the intend to follow suit. VV