Research on climate change and its link to extreme weather events is increasingly being used as evidence in lawsuits.

Climate scientists are being called upon to testify in court cases involving natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, to provide expert opinion on the role of human activities in exacerbating these events. This research is helping to establish a causal link between climate change and extreme weather patterns, which can be used to inform damages calculations and hold companies and governments accountable for their contributions to climate change. For example, in 2020, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) were called upon to testify in a lawsuit against ExxonMobil over its alleged role in exacerbating climate change. The researchers provided evidence on the link between greenhouse gas emissions and rising global temperatures, which helped establish a causal connection between the company’s activities and the devastating impacts of Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Similarly, research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been used to support lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over their alleged role in contributing to sea-level rise and more frequent coastal flooding. In one case, a team of researchers from NOAA’s Climate Program Office testified that the company’s activities had contributed to rising sea levels and more frequent storms along the East Coast. As the frequency and severity of extreme weather events continue to increase, it is likely that research on climate change will play an increasingly important role in lawsuits related to these disasters. By providing expert testimony on the causal link between human activities and climate change, researchers can help hold companies and governments accountable for their contributions to this growing crisis. The use of climate research in lawsuits also raises questions about the role of science in the legal system. As climate scientists become more involved in litigation, there is a growing need for clarity around how scientific evidence should be presented in court, as well as the standards for expertise and qualifications that researchers must meet. Despite these challenges, many experts believe that the use of climate research in lawsuits has the potential to drive meaningful change by holding companies and governments accountable for their actions. By providing concrete evidence of human activities contributing to climate change, researchers can help inform policy decisions and drive innovation towards a more sustainable future.