Vermont enacts climate accountability legislation

Vermont's new bill holds high-emission companies accountable for climate-related damages.

Maura Barrett and Lucas Thompson report for NBC News.

In short:

Vermont's Climate Superfund Act requires companies like oil giants to pay for climate change-related damages.
Payments will be calculated based on each company's emissions from 1995 to 2024 and the impact of those emissions on Vermont's extreme weather.
The funds collected will be used to enhance infrastructure, weatherproof public buildings, and address health impacts of climate change.

Key quote:

"We’re able to say very clearly, ‘We would not be experiencing these intense global temperatures without human-caused climate change and the history of carbon pollution.’"

— Andrew Pershing, vice president for science at Climate Central

Why this matters:

This law links financial accountability to scientific research on climate impact, potentially setting a precedent for other states. It addresses not just environmental but also public health challenges, offering a model for proactive climate adaptation and mitigation. Read more: "We just can’t quit fossil fuels, can we?"

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Credit: Gage Skidmore/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/ Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Bill McKibben on the state-led efforts to make Big Oil pay up

The New Jersey Climate Superfund Act would make oil companies pay for their past greenhouse gas emissions, possibly generating up to $50 billion for state climate relief. “This should be the easiest vote that any legislator ever makes,” McKibben says.

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Vermont enacts climate accountability legislation

Bill McKibben on the state-led efforts to make Big Oil pay up

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