Climate change - acceptance but no responsibility

Big oil and gas may still be doubting human-induced climate change in public, but it seems now they’re accepting it when in a court of law. See -

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/26/fossil-fuel-companies-accept-climate-crisis-just-not-their-role-in-it

However, an end to the denial of climate change doesn't mean the start of taking responsibility for it. The article describes ingenious legal arguments that are being employed to evade responsibility. Some are subtle, others seem meritless.

For example, the blame is said to lie with -

a) the government, for lax regulation that failed to enforce moves away from fossil fuel.

That’s a strange claim - implying the government was at fault by being swayed by the lobbying of the fossil-fuel fuel sector. “It’s their fault because they let us do it”.

b) the customers, for burning the petroleum liquids rather than using them in other ways. “Our customers make the decision to release the carbon into the atmosphere, so it’s their fault”.

The article concludes -

“In courtrooms across the world, the same pattern holds: fossil fuel companies now accept the science but refuse responsibility. The central battleground in climate litigation will no longer be whether climate change is happening, but who, legally and financially, bears responsibility for it.”.

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