Everything You Need to Know About the Exxon Climate Change Probe

For years, energy companies have couched the possible effects of climate change-related regulations in public reports to investors as "uncertain," "difficult," or "not possible" to reasonably predict. Now a probe by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is raising questions as to whether the companies knew more than they were letting on.

Exxon Mobil received a subpoena last week by the state official seeking documents from as far back as the 1970s in a probe that aims to determine whether oil giant lied to investors and consumers, or withheld information about the effects of climate change. On Sunday, meanwhile, Schneiderman reached a settlement with the largest U.S. coal miner, Peabody Energy, in which the company agreed to include more detailed disclosures in reports to investors about the potential costs of climate-related regulations.