A Small Town Taking on the Corporate Giant

The small town of Carrboro NC made national news last week by filing a lawsuit against Duke Energy for allegedly engaging in a conspiracy to cover up the impacts of climate change while they continued to pump out the greenhouse gases responsible for heating the planet. 

The Lawsuit

Carrboro’s lawsuit says that Duke’s actions have resulted in millions of dollars in damages to the town and its 21,000 residents from impacts like increased flooding, more severe storms, and heat. The suit seeks “compensation for the damages (both past and future) that it is incurring as a direct and proximate result of Duke’s campaign of deception and resulting exacerbation of the climate crisis.” 

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee said, “We’re bringing this lawsuit because taking care of our town, each other, and our climate is at the center of everything we do here in Carrboro. The climate crisis is causing tremendous harm to our community’s health and well-being.”

The lawsuit’s assertions about Duke’s early knowledge of the likely impacts of climate change and its deliberate decision to cover them up track the findings of a recent report by environmental reporter Sue Sturgis for the nonprofit Energy and Policy Institute. The report is titled “Duke Energy Knew: Documenting Duke Energy’s Early Knowledge and Ongoing Deception About Climate Change.” 

Influencing Policy

Lawsuits of this nature against corporate giants like Duke are notoriously slow-moving and uncertain. They can still influence policy through the “court of public opinion” by shining a spotlight on uncomfortable truths and embarrassing deceptions brought to light.