The residents of a small North Carolina town are suing Duke Energy, one of the largest utilities companies in the world, for its role in contributing to climate change. In the process, they are continuing a nationwide trend of communities suing oil companies, and now utilities, for contributing to global heating.
The small town of Carrboro (population: roughly 21,000) is suing Duke Energy, which according to an analysis from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the third largest source of carbon dioxide in the United States. Carbon dioxide is one of the chief anthropogenic greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change; the others are methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. These gases are mostly emitted through humanity’s use of fossil fuels, as well as other agricultural and industrial activities.
