Climate attribution science could enable lawsuits against major carbon emitters for extreme weather damages

Summary

The article explores how a new form of climate attribution science — specifically "extreme event attribution" and "source attribution" — is being developed to link specific extreme weather events (floods, heatwaves, storms) directly to individual fossil fuel companies. It profiles the story of Arif Pujianto, an Indonesian man whose home on Pari Island has been repeatedly devastated by tidal floods linked to rising seas. The piece examines the legal and scientific implications of this modeling approach, which could be used to hold major carbon emitters accountable in court for climate damages. It discusses the work of climate scientists like Friederike Otto and legal experts who argue that attribution science could become a powerful tool for climate litigation, forcing companies to pay for the damages their emissions have caused.