Philippine communities devastated by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021 are taking a bold step in their fight for climate justice, seeking compensation from energy giant Shell for what they allege are the deadly consequences of the company’s historic carbon emissions. The move, which has drawn international attention, comes as global debates over corporate responsibility for climate change intensify—and as the world prepares for the United Nations COP30 climate conference in Brazil next month.
Super Typhoon Odette, known internationally as Typhoon Rai, tore through the Philippines in December 2021, leaving a trail of destruction that killed more than 400 people and made it the second most costly storm in the country’s history. According to the Associated Press, nearly 70 Filipinos who lost loved ones, suffered injuries, or incurred property damage have now sent a formal “Letter Before Action” to Shell’s headquarters in London. The letter, delivered in the week of October 23, 2025, demands an unspecified amount of compensation for the losses they attribute to climate change—climate change they say was partly driven by Shell’s emissions.
The stakes are high. If Shell does not respond satisfactorily, the group says it will file a lawsuit in Britain in mid-December 2025. Their aim, they say, is not only to seek redress for their own suffering but also to set a precedent for other vulnerable communities worldwide. As Trixy Elle, one of the claimants, told the Associated Press, “It is really important for me to carry our story outside the island, outside the Philippines, and tell the whole world that we are here, we exist. We have to fight, we have to stand, we need to speak up for our rights.” Elle plans to attend the upcoming climate conference to share her experience and advocate for justice on a global stage.
Backing the Philippine victims are several advocacy groups, including Greenpeace Philippines, the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, and the green energy transition organization Uplift. These organizations singled out Shell because of its “high historic emissions and early knowledge of the causes and effects of climate change.” Their case draws on data from the Carbon Majors Database, managed by the nonprofit think tank InfluenceMap, which ranks Shell among the world’s largest corporate emitters of greenhouse gases. The database attributes 2.1% of all global emissions since the start of the industrial revolution to Shell alone.
Shell, for its part, firmly denies legal liability for the devastation wrought by Odette. In a statement to the Associated Press after the Letter Before Action was delivered, a Shell spokesperson said, “We agree that action is needed now on climate change. As we supply vital energy the world needs today, we are transforming our business to supply lower-carbon fuels for the future. The suggestion that Shell had unique knowledge about climate change is simply not true.”
The legal action comes amid a surge in climate litigation worldwide. According to the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, at least 226 lawsuits tied to climate issues were filed globally in 2024 alone, with nearly 3,000 such cases tracked across 60 countries. While many previous lawsuits have focused on the potential for future harm caused by climate change, this case is notable for seeking compensation for past damage—damage that, the claimants argue, was made worse by Shell’s emissions.
Research cited in the case, conducted by Ben Clarke, an associate at Imperial College London’s Centre for Environmental Policy, found that the heavy rains and high winds that characterized Typhoon Odette were intensified by climate change. This research bolsters the claimants’ argument that the storm’s deadly impact was not merely a natural disaster but was aggravated by the warming climate—a warming driven in part by industrial emissions from companies like Shell.
The Philippines is no stranger to the ravages of climate change. The country regularly ranks near the top of the Global Climate Risk Index, a stark reminder of its vulnerability. This year alone, several deadly storms—including Bualoi, Ragasa, Co-may, and Matmo—have battered the archipelago, further underscoring the urgent need for climate resilience and adaptation.
Legal experts note that the Philippine victims’ case could become a watershed moment in the evolving field of climate litigation. Jameela Joy Reyes, of the Grantham Research Institute, told AP that the Typhoon Odette case demonstrates how vulnerable communities can use legal means to seek damages for climate change impacts. Sara Phillips of the Stockholm Environment Institute added that while courts have generally accepted that climate change is human-induced, they have been cautious about assigning liability to individual companies. “Courts have generally accepted that climate change is human-induced, but they have been cautious about assigning liability to individual companies,” Phillips said.
For Shell, this is not the first time its climate record has come under legal scrutiny. Last year, the company succeeded in overturning a landmark climate ruling in the Netherlands, where a court had ordered Shell to drastically cut its carbon emissions. The company’s legal strategy and public statements suggest it will mount a robust defense against the Philippine claimants’ lawsuit should it proceed.
Yet, for the victims and their supporters, the legal battle is about more than just compensation. It is about holding powerful corporations accountable for the real-world consequences of their business practices. As the world’s attention turns to COP30 in Brazil, their story serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of climate change—and the growing movement to seek justice through the courts.
With the number of climate-related lawsuits rising and the science linking extreme weather events to human-caused emissions growing ever stronger, the outcome of the Philippine victims’ case could reverberate far beyond the courtroom. For now, all eyes are on Shell’s next move—and on whether the legal system will provide a new path to accountability for those who bear the brunt of a warming planet.
As the storm-battered communities of the Philippines await Shell’s response, their fight highlights the intersection of climate science, corporate responsibility, and human resilience—an intersection that is sure to shape the future of climate justice worldwide.
