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Make Polluters Pay for Climate Disasters

Make Polluters Pay for Climate Disasters

The European Commission, especially the Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, Hadja Lahbib and the Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, the European Parliament and EU Heads of State and leaders.

Petition

We call on the European Union to:

  • Make fossil fuel companies pay for the damage they cause. Hold them accountable for fuelling the climate crisis.
  • Use those revenues to better protect people from climate disasters, including wildfire prevention, firefighting, emergency preparedness and climate resilience.
  • Accelerate Europe's transition away from fossil fuels so future climate disasters become less severe.
  • Ensure Member States invest in protecting people from climate disasters by strengthening national preparedness, prevention and adaptation measures across Europe.

Why is this important?

Europe is burning. "It looked like the apocalypse." [1] That's how firefighters described this summer's wildfires.

From Spain to France, Greece to Portugal, more than 350,000 people have been evacuated as forests, homes and lives disappear in smoke. [2] Entire families forced to say goodbye to a lifetime of memories, their savings, and the places they grew up.

These disasters are no longer rare. Every year, Europe experiences more devastating wildfires, floods and heatwaves.

While homes burn, polluters driving the climate crisis continue to profit. Experts say Europe needs €12 billion to protect people from future wildfires. Last year, the biggest oil and gas companies made around €40 billion in profits. [3]

One solution is obvious: make oil and gas giants pay for the protection from climate disasters Europe urgently needs. 

Right now, the EU is deciding its next long-term budget. [4] Pressure is growing to tax oil and gas permanently. Economists, ministers, and even the EU’s Climate Chief support making fossil fuel companies contribute more. [5] 

Thousands of us speaking out would supercharge this pressure.

Will you sign the petition and tell the EU to make polluters pay?

References:

[1] https://fortune.com/2026/07/27/bordeaux-wildfire-firestorm-evacuations-france-lightning-apocalypse

[2] https://apnews.com/article/what-to-know-wildfires-france-spain-cb1e5877e1c7e4acbb80a8d9c2049f03 ; https://www.cntraveller.com/article/greece-wildfires-2026 ; https://eu-space.europa.eu/components/earth-observation-copernicus/image-of-the-day/portugal-wildfires-send-smoke-over-atlantic-ocean

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/business/ng-interactive/2026/aug/04/revealed-major-oil-firms-make-93bn-profits-amid-war-and-climate-crisis ; https://www.shell.com/investors/results-and-reporting/annual-report ; https://www.bp.com/investors/results-reporting-and-presentations/annual-report ; https://totalenergies.com/system/files/documents/totalenergies_pr-results-q4-2025_2026_en.pdf

[4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-10-2026-0111_EN.html

[5] Wopke Hoekstra, speaking to the European Parliament before becoming EU Climate Commissioner: “I want to explore an international kerosene tax, a maritime levy, a fossil fuels tax… No stone should be left unturned.” https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2023/754186/IPOL_BRI(2023)754186_EN.pdf ; https://www.ft.com/content/f3398a19-ea7d-460a-8a69-1813d53f4865?syn-25a6b1a6=1 ; https://www.euractiv.com/news/five-eu-nations-urge-tax-on-energy-firms-windfall-profits/ ; https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2026-06-24/secretary-generals-remarks-the-london-climate-action-week-climate-development-finance-forum-2026-delivered ; https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2026/06/09/it-is-time-to-permanently-increase-taxes-on-oil-and-gas-companies ; https://www.euronews.com/2026/05/21/colossal-profits-christian-leaders-lambast-fossil-fuel-giants-as-they-demand-eu-windfall ; https://caneurope.org/news/as-european-leaders-gather-in-brussels-groups-demand-permanent-tax-on-soaring-fossil-fuel-profits/

[6] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/26/europe-heatwave-impossible-without-climate-crisis-scientists ; https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/in-depth/extreme-weather-floods-droughts-and-heatwaves

[7] https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-final-report-emergency-measure-fossil-fuels-sector-support-european-consumers-and-2025-05-15_en