November 30, 2016

The Battle for Climate Change Accountability


Winnie Stachelberg

Center For American Progress
Begin: 6:18

Caroline Fredrickson

American Constitution Society
Begin: 10:43

Doug Gansler

BuckleySandler LLP
Begin: 13:45

Ben Hulac

ClimateWire
Begin: 32:45

Veronica Eady

Conservation Law Foundation
Begin: 36:20

Elizabeth Wydra

Constitutional Accountability Center
Begin: 38:10

Bevis Longstreth

Securities and Exchange Commission
Begin: 39:48

Neil Kinkopf

Georgia State University College of Law
Begin: 42:57

In late 2015 InsideClimate News and the Los Angeles Times laid out groundbreaking reports showing ExxonMobil’s deliberate campaign to spread misinformation about climate science in spite of knowing about the problem since the 1970s. Since then, state and local leaders have initiated investigations and are taking the oil giant to court, seeking justice for investors, communities, and the public.
 
On Nov. 30, 2016 the American Constitution Society for Law & Policy, the Center for American Progress Action Fund hosted distinguished panelists for a discussion of the legal foundations for seeking accountability from fossil fuel companies, as well as the importance of state attorney general investigations in the face of federal opposition or inaction.

Winnie Stachelberg, executive vice president, External Affairs, Center for American Progress, welcomed the audience. Caroline Fredrickson, president, American Constitution Society for Law & Policy, introduced the keynote speaker, Hon. Douglas F. Gansler, former attorney general of Maryland; partner, BuckleySandler LLP. 
 
The panelists included: 
 
Ben Hulac, reporter for ClimateWire, Moderator
Veronica Eady, vice president, Conservation Law Foundation
Neil Kinkopf, professor of law, Georgia State University
Bevis Longstreth, former commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Elizabeth Wydra, president, Constitutional Accountability Center