The Economic Impact of Climate Lawsuits on Fossil Fuel Firms

Authors

  • Malina Willick Thompson Rivers University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/bcelnfe776

Keywords:

climate litigation, fossil fuel accountability, climate change law, corporate responsibility, carbon externalities, climate policy and governance, economic impacts of climate change, carbon capture and storage (CCS), climate reparations

Author Biography

Malina Willick, Thompson Rivers University

Malina Willick is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Thompson Rivers University majoring in Political Science with a minor in Economics. Her academic interests focus on the intersection of governance, economic development, and urban policy. She plans to pursue a master's degree in Urban Development, where she hopes to further explore strategies for building equitable and sustainable cities.

References

Cameron, C., Weymon, R., & Nicholson, C. (n.d.). Legal hurdles and pathways: The evolution (progress?) of climate change adjudication in Canada. Dalhousie Law Journal , 47(2), 440–463.

Coase , R. H. (1960). The problem of social cost. The Journal of Law and Economics, 3, 144 https://doi.org/10.1086/466560

Drugmand, D. (2025, June 26). Climate litigation expands in complexity and influence, analysis finds. Climate in the Courts. https://www.climateinthecourts.com/climate-litigation-expands-in-complexity-and-influence-analysis-finds

Grasso, M., & Heede, R. (2023). Time to pay the piper: Fossil fuel companies’ reparations for climate damages. One Earth, 6(5), 459–463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.04.012

Kaminski, I. (2023, May 22). Big polluters’ share prices fall after climate lawsuits, study finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/22/big-polluters-share-prices-fall-climate-lawsuits-fossil-fuels-study

Kolaric, S. (2023). The impact of climate litigation and activism on stock prices: The case of oil and gas majors. Review of Managerial Science, 18(11), 3141–3172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00710-4

Sato, M., Gostlow, G., Higham, C., Setzer, J., & Venmans, F. (2024). Impacts of climate litigation on firm value. Nature Sustainability, 7(11), 1461–1468. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01455-y

Wu, D. W.-L. (2023). Why US climate lawsuits against Big Oil matter in Canada. The Dalhousie Law Journal, 46(2), 742–780. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004322714_cclc_2023-0168-0812

Weitzman, M. L. (2012). GHG targets as insurance against catastrophic climate damages. Journal of Public Economic Theory, 14(2), 221–224. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9779.2011.01539.x

Cover image with title: Perspectives on the economics of Climate Change. Special Issue, March 2026, Online ISSN: 2819-7046. Background image taken by Peter Tsigaris of the University of Auckland campus.

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Published

2026-03-17

How to Cite

Willick, M. (2026). The Economic Impact of Climate Lawsuits on Fossil Fuel Firms. Future Earth: A Student Journal on Sustainability and Environment. https://doi.org/10.29173/bcelnfe776

Issue

2026: Special Issue: Perspectives on the Economics of Climate Change

Section

Commentaries and Opinions

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2026 Future Earth: A Student Journal on Sustainability and Environment

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