Climate Dispatch by Will Kessler | Sep 19, 2023. The state of California filed a lawsuit Saturday against major oil companies, claiming that their production of fossil fuels has contributed to climate change and natural disasters. The suit, which was filed in the Superior Court of California in the County of San Francisco, alleges that deception by the defendants caused a delayed societal response to global warming and that their misconduct has greatly affected people, property, and natural resources, according to court filings. [emphasis, links added] The suit targets oil companies Exxon, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP, and the trade group …