California sues 5 major oil companies, accuses them of deceiving public over the risks of fossil fuel use | CNN

The state of California is suing the oil companies BP , ExxonMobil , Chevron , Shell and ConocoPhillips and their trade group, the American Petroleum Institute .

The lawsuit claims all five major oil companies have known, since at least the 1960s , burning fossil fuels would warm the planet and change the climate.

The state is seeking to create an abatement fund to be funded at least in part by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

CNN also reached out to ExxonMobil but did not immediately receive a response. The news release from Bonta ’s office states the lawsuit’s purpose is to provide “injunctive relief to both protect California ’s natural resources from pollution, impairment, and destruction as well as to prevent the companies from making any further false or misleading statements about the contribution of fossil fuel combustion to climate change; damages; and penalties.”.