From Watts Up With That?

Essay by  Eric Worrall

NGOs should be helping these people put their lives back together. Instead, they appear to be encouraging wild fantasies of a big payday.

Filipino typhoon survivors sue Shell over climate change

London (AFP) – Survivors of a deadly 2021 typhoon in the Philippines have filed a lawsuit against British oil giant Shell, seeking financial compensation for climate-related devastation, three NGOs supporting them said Thursday. 

Issued on: 11/12/2025 – 08:02 Modified: 11/12/2025 – 08:00

Typhoon Rai struck the southern and central regions of the Philippines in December 2021, toppling power lines and trees and unleashing deadly floods that killed over 400 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

The lawsuit on behalf of 103 survivors argues Shell’s carbon emissions contributed to climate change, impacting Philippine communities.

Trixy Elle, a plaintiff from a fishing community whose home and four boats were swept away in the typhoon, told AFP the lawsuit was about getting justice.

“Island residents like us contribute only a small percentage of pollution. But who gets the short stick? The poor like us,” said the 34-year-old, who is still paying off high-interest loans she needed to rebuild.

“I am not speaking only for my community but for all Filipinos who experience the effects of climate crises,” Elle said, adding that her now 13-year-old son still suffers from trauma caused by the storm.

…Read more: https://www.rfi.fr/en/international-news/20251211-filipino-typhoon-survivors-sue-shell-over-climate-change

NGOs could simply ask companies like Shell to assist with rebuilding these communities. Companies like Shell spend substantial money every year helping people in need.

Instead, they’ve convinced these people to waste time and effort on a high-risk lawsuit, which even if they win will take many years to resolve.