UN official calls for criminal penalties for fossil fuel disinformation and lobbying bans
The United Nations’ top climate and human rights expert urged governments to criminalize fossil fuel disinformation, ban industry lobbying and ads, and phase out oil, gas, and coal by 2030 to meet their legal obligations under international law.
Nina Lakhani reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- UN special rapporteur Elisa Morgera called on wealthy nations including the United States, UK, and Canada to stop all fossil fuel subsidies, end exploration and flaring, and compensate affected communities for human rights violations linked to climate change.
- Her report argues that fossil fuel companies have knowingly obstructed climate action for decades through misinformation, lobbying, and legal manipulation, while reaping trillions in profits.
- Morgera proposes a full economic “defossilization,” including criminalizing greenwashing, dismantling industry influence in politics and media, and funding climate justice through taxes and penalties on polluters.
Key quote:
“The fossil fuel playbook has undermined the protection of all human rights that are negatively impacted by climate change for over six decades.”
— Elisa Morgera, UN special rapporteur on human rights and climate change
Why this matters:
Fossil fuel production remains a top driver of climate change, threatening public health, biodiversity, and basic human rights. Burning oil, gas, and coal pollutes the air, heats the planet, and intensifies extreme weather — putting vulnerable populations, especially in the Global South, at risk of displacement, disease, and food insecurity. These impacts are magnified by industry practices like gas flaring, petrochemical waste, and plastic production, which contaminate soil, water, and air. At the same time, fossil fuel companies continue to wield major political and financial power, often blocking efforts to reduce emissions.
Learn more: Falsehoods about climate change slow action and deepen the crisis, global report warns
