Big Oil Liability in Canada: Lessons from the US and The Netherlands

The number of nuisance and negligence tort claims in the US against “Big Oil” companies have grown significantly in the last five years. The Netherlands case of Milieudefensie et al v Royal Dutch Shell represents the first major success of such a claim internationally. While the US cases and Milieudefensie demonstrate starkly different approaches as to how to seek accountability from Big Oil for climate change harms, the increasing judicial engagement on these issues may mean the time is right for similar lawsuits in Canada. Three Canadian common law causes of action are examined: nuisance, ne... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Wu, David W-L
Dokumenttyp: Text
Erscheinungsdatum: 2023
Verlag/Hrsg.: Schulich Law Scholars
Schlagwörter: big oil / milieudefensie / nuisance / negligence / unjust enrichment / climate change / Energy and Utilities Law / Environmental Law / Natural Resources Law / Oil / Gas / and Mineral Law / Torts
Sprache: unknown
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-26792375
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://digitalcommons.schulichlaw.dal.ca/dlj/vol46/iss2/7

The number of nuisance and negligence tort claims in the US against “Big Oil” companies have grown significantly in the last five years. The Netherlands case of Milieudefensie et al v Royal Dutch Shell represents the first major success of such a claim internationally. While the US cases and Milieudefensie demonstrate starkly different approaches as to how to seek accountability from Big Oil for climate change harms, the increasing judicial engagement on these issues may mean the time is right for similar lawsuits in Canada. Three Canadian common law causes of action are examined: nuisance, negligence, and unjust enrichment. Defences and arguments which stem from society’s (and any potential plaintiff’s) acquiescence and authorization to allow the defendants’ conduct may present difficult barriers to success. This paper focuses on these types of defences, and argues that the responsibility of Big Oil for climate change harms should not be completely vitiated even if governments and plaintiffs have acquiesced, authorized, and arguably contributed to our climate crisis. Le nombre de plaintes pour nuisance et négligence déposées aux États-Unis contre les « grandes compagnies pétrolières » a considérablement augmenté au cours des cinq dernières années. L’affaire néerlandaise Milieudefensie et al contre Royal Dutch Shell représente le premier succès majeur d’une telle plainte au niveau international. Si les affaires américaines et Milieudefensie témoignent d’approches très différentes quant à la manière de demander des comptes aux grandes compagnies pétrolières pour les dommages causés par les changements climatiques, l’engagement judiciaire croissant sur ces questions pourrait signifier que le moment est venu d’intenter des actions similaires au Canada. Trois causes d’action en common law canadienne sont examinées : la nuisance, la négligence et l’enrichissement sans cause. Les défenses et les arguments qui découlent de l’acquiescement et de l’autorisation de la société (et de tout plaignant potentiel) à permettre ...