In the last decade a series of tort claims have been brought in
the US against oil, gas and coal producers, power companies and car
manufacturers seeking compensation for loss and damage said to be
the result of climate change caused by GHG (GreenHouse Gas)
emissions. To date, none has succeeded. The imposition of private
law liability for climate change "has been seen as a kind
of holy grail by environmental campaigners and as an unacceptable
disaster scenario by sectors of industry which might have to bear
the cost" (Lord et al. Climate Change Liability:
Transnational Law and Practice (2012)).
In January 2018 it was widely reported that New York City has
filed a lawsuit against five major oil companies, claiming for the
costs of modifying city infrastructure (coastal defences, storm
drains, air conditioning in public buildings etc.) to cope with
rising sea levels, extreme weather events and increased summer heat
attributed to global warming. Coastal cities in
