In case you’ve missed the soaring prices at the gas pump, the United States’ illegal war in Iran has led to (among other harms) surging oil and gasoline prices. American families are spending an additional $8.4 billion in fuel costs since the Iran war started, and the price is only estimated to rise. Meanwhile, Big Oil and Gas companies continue to extract record-breaking profits. This is not a coincidence.
As we learned from the Iraq War and, more recently, the U.S.’s invasion of Venezuela, American oil companies directly profit from U.S. imperialism and global conflict. These same companies spent heavily to put Donald Trump in office. They’re also poised to profit significantly from U.S. military interventions in Venezuela and Iran.
In addition to raising gas prices, these military interventions endorsed by Big Oil companies directly harm the planet. Climate experts warn that the environmental toll of the Iran war has already created damages and health risks that will last for decades. In fact, the Climate and Community Institute estimates that the first two weeks of the war already produced more than 5 million tons of carbon dioxide, or over $1.3 billion in climate damage.
These military conflicts are occurring at a time when our planet is already grappling with the human and economic costs of the climate crisis. The World Economic Forum warns that by 2050 climate change may cause an additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. According to the U.S. government, the impacts of extreme climate events are already costing the country about $150 billion a year. These costs are not shared equally; climate change and environmental racism are inherently intertwined. Looking specifically at Chicago, our city’s long legacy of environmental racism and discriminatory zoning practices have disproportionately exposed Black and Brown communities to the harms from extreme climate events.
For too long, poor people, working-class people, and communities of color have paid the price of climate change while corporate polluters have profited. Big Oil has known about climate change since the 1970s and has spent decades discrediting climate science to protect it bottom line. A landmark 2025 study now enables us to more accurately attribute the high costs of climate change to the polluters responsible.
At ONE Northside we believe that everyone deserves clean air and water, adequate access to heating and cooling, and a livable planet to pass on to future generations. For this reason, we’re fighting to Make Polluters Pay for the climate crisis they created.
Make Polluters Pay is a nationwide campaign to hold the Big Oil and Gas companies accountable for the damage they’re causing to our people and the planet. This movement is based on a simple principle: If you cause the harm, you should help pay for the repair. As part of Make Polluters Pay, states are advancing climate superfund bills, taking oil companies to court, and calling to end fossil fuel subsidies and tax breaks. Notably, Vermont and New York just became the first states to pass climate superfund bills that would raise billions of dollars from fossil fuel companies to help pay for climate damages and resiliency programs.
Illinois is currently unprepared to pay the costs of climate disasters. Since the early 20th century, extreme precipitation events have increased 40%, with devastating consequences. When 9 inches of rain fell on Chicago in July 2023, 1,400 homes flooded and untreated sewage spewed directly into Lake Michigan. Illinois requires $6.1 billion to retrofit schools with air conditioning systems that are now necessary due to climate change’s extreme weather. Currently, taxpayers are responsible for 100% of these costs — in the form of higher taxes, higher insurance premiums, and skyrocketing utility bills.
We believe that governments can and should be a force for good. For this reason, Make Polluters Pay aims to hold Big Oil responsible for the harms it caused while generating revenue to meet taxpayer needs. ONE Northside, alongside a coalition of other activists and environmental groups, is fighting in Illinois to pass our own climate change superfund act.
By making polluters pay their fair share for climate damages, climate superfund laws can help raise new revenue to pay for critical infrastructure needs and prepare for extreme weather events. In Illinois, a climate superfund could address a variety of issues, such as by:
Holding polluters accountable doesn’t just fund adaptation and recovery. This superfund can prevent future harm, level the economic playing field, and build a fairer economy for everyone. Before even more costs of climate change get passed down to working families and community members, we have the opportunity to act now and build toward a sustainable future.
Now that a climate change superfund bill has been introduced in the Illinois state legislature, the fight for its successful passage continues. Organizers have a critical role in building a base of popular support for Make Polluters Pay, pressuring lawmakers to pass the law, and clearly communicating a vision of how climate super funds can be best aligned with community needs. As part of Make Polluters Pay, ONE Northside currently is spreading awareness of the campaign and listening to community members about how the money could best be spent.
Join the fight to hold Big Oil and Gas accountable! Our Environmental Justice team is fighting to put people and the planet first. If you want to learn more and get involved in our Make Polluters Pay campaign, fill out the Get Involved form to let us know you’re interested in Environmental Justice issues!
By Rachel Blume
Photos by Vanessa Bly
