Two dozen companies face a federal lawsuit initiated by a small Alaskan village that alleges the companies are responisble for the global warming that has threatened the villages' existence. Kivalina, an Inupiat Eskimo village, is located along an eight mile barrier reef between the Chukchi Sea and the Kivalina River.

The village claims that the warmer temperatures have been melting a sea ice barrier that protects the village during fall and winter storms, leaving the area vulnerable.

"We are seeing accelerated erosion because of the loss of sea ice," City Administrator Janet Mitchell said in a statement. "We normally have ice starting in October, but now we have open water even into December so our island is not protected from the storms."

Nine oil companies including Exxon Mobile, Shell and Chevron, as well as 14 power companies and one coal company are all named in the lawsuit.

The people of Kivalina are undoubtedly worried and likely panicking due to the changes they see occuring around them. And even though oil companies are often criticized for high greenhouse gas emissions, pinning the effects of global warming on two dozen companies seems pretty far-fetched.

» CNN World