Exxon Files Lawsuit Against California AG and Environmental Groups Over Recycling Criticism.
Exxon Mobil has initiated legal proceedings against California Attorney General Rob Bonta and various environmental organizations, as indicated by court documents filed on Monday. The company alleges that these parties have engaged in defamation and disparagement of its advanced plastics recycling efforts. This lawsuit reflects Exxon's growing resistance to environmental advocates and other detractors who have filed lawsuits accusing the corporation of contributing to climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
A lawsuit filed in federal court in Beaumont, Texas, has accused Attorney General Bonta of collaborating with the law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, which has connections to the IEJF, an Australian non-profit organization linked to billionaire Andrew Forrest's Minderoo Foundation. Fortescue, associated with this foundation, is a competitor of Exxon in the low-carbon solutions and energy transition sectors, according to the lawsuit.
The firm Cotchett had enlisted U.S. environmental organizations as plaintiffs in a case against Exxon and had also supported Bonta's political campaign, as stated by Exxon. The company is seeking unspecified damages and a retraction of what it describes as defamatory remarks. A representative from the California Department of Justice remarked, "This is yet another effort by ExxonMobil to divert attention from its own illegal actions. The Attorney General is committed to pursuing his lawsuit against ExxonMobil and is prepared to vigorously litigate this matter in court."
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Last year, Bonta initiated a lawsuit against Exxon, alleging that the company had engaged in a prolonged campaign of deception regarding the limitations of recycling. He requested that the court "hold ExxonMobil fully accountable for its role in actively creating and exacerbating the plastics pollution crisis." Exxon's advanced recycling technology employs heat to decompose hard-to-recycle plastics to a molecular level for reuse.
Additionally, Exxon filed a lawsuit against activist investors last year after they submitted a shareholder proposal concerning climate change. The company continued its legal action even after the activists withdrew the proposal, raising concerns among climate advocates that such actions could stifle discussions between shareholders and public companies. A U.S. judge dismissed Exxon's lawsuit in June. Exxon Mobil's lawsuit against California Attorney General Rob Bonta highlights ongoing tensions between energy companies and environmental advocates. As legal battles intensify, the outcomes could shape future dialogues on climate accountability, plastics recycling, and corporate responsibility. Both sides remain steadfast, signaling a prolonged and high-stakes conflict over environmental policies.
