Typhoon Victims File Raps Vs Shell Over Carbon Emissions

Shell HQ protest: Activists demand climate justice for the Philippines, ravaged by Super Typhoon Odette. 

Typhoon Victims File Raps Vs Shell Over Carbon Emissions

By Bing Jabadan – TheNationWeek.Com | October 24, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – Nearly 70 Filipino survivors of 2021’s Super Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai), a disaster that claimed over 400 lives and stands as the Philippines’ second most costly storm after Yolanda, are embarking on a high-stakes legal battle against energy giant Shell.

They allege the company’s historical carbon emissions exacerbated the typhoon’s intensity, leading to deaths, injuries, and widespread devastation, and are demanding compensation for their losses.

In a “Letter Before Action” delivered this week to Shell’s London headquarters, the victims, represented by a coalition of environmental and legal groups, seek an unspecified sum in damages.

Should Shell fail to provide a satisfactory response, they plan to file a lawsuit in the UK by mid-December, a move that could set a precedent ahead of the upcoming United Nations COP30 climate conference in Brazil.

“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,” said Trixy Elle, a participant in the case who plans to attend the COP30 conference.

“We have to fight, we have to stand, we need to speak up for our rights.”

The case hinges on the argument that Shell, identified as one of the world’s largest corporate emitters of greenhouse gases by the Carbon Majors Database, bears responsibility for contributing to the climate crisis that amplified Typhoon Odette’s destructive power.

A study cited by the victims, conducted by Ben Clarke of Imperial College London, suggests the typhoon’s heavy rains and high winds were made more dangerous due to climate change.

While Shell acknowledges the need for climate action, “The suggestion that Shell had unique knowledge about climate change is simply not true,” a Shell spokesperson said.

The company also points to its success in overturning a Dutch court ruling last year that mandated drastic carbon emission cuts.

A Test Case for Climate Justice?

The lawsuit represents a growing trend of climate litigation worldwide.

According to the Grantham Institute, nearly 3,000 climate-related cases are being tracked across 60 countries, with 226 filed last year alone.

“The Typhoon Odette case shows vulnerable communities can use legal means to seek damages over climate change,” said Jameela Joy Reyes of the London School of Economics’ Grantham Research Institute.

However, experts caution that assigning liability to individual companies for climate change impacts remains a significant legal hurdle.

Past climate cases have primarily focused on potential future damage, making initiatives addressing past harm a crucial testing ground.

The Philippine Factor: Can Victims Overcome Systemic Corruption?

Beyond the legal complexities, the victims face an additional challenge: navigating a Philippine system often plagued by corruption.

Even if successful in securing a judgment against Shell, ensuring that compensation reaches those who need it most could prove difficult.

Deep-seated corruption within government agencies and local administrations has historically diverted aid and resources intended for disaster relief.

This raises a critical question: Can these typhoon survivors, already vulnerable and marginalized, overcome not only a powerful multinational corporation but also a potentially corrupt system to achieve justice and receive the compensation they deserve?

Their fight is not just against climate change, but against a system that has often failed to protect the most vulnerable citizens.