The state of California filed a lawsuit against some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, claiming they deceived the public about the risks of fossil fuels now faulted for climate change-related storms and wildfires that caused billions of dollars in damage, officials said Saturday. The civil lawsuit filed in state Superior Court in San Francisco also seeks creation of a fund — financed by the companies — to pay for recovery efforts following devastating storms and fires. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement the companies named in the lawsuit — Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and BP — should be held accountable.

Related articles: 

• Los Angeles Times: California sues five major oil companies for ‘decades-long campaign of deception’ about climate change
• New York Times: California sues giant oil companies, citing decades of deception
• E&E News: ‘Watershed moment’ - California enters climate litigation fray
• CalMatters: Newsom to sign corporate climate accountability bills