Scorched Earth

Inside the Epic Battle Between Steven Donzinger and Chevron

By: David Sirota

Narrated by: David Sirota

In 2011, an Ecuadorian court issued a landmark $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron for decades of oil pollution in the Amazon rainforest. The ruling was celebrated as a historic win for Indigenous communities—and for the New York-based lawyer who helped lead the case, Steven Donziger.

But Chevron never paid. Instead, the company fought back, accusing Donziger of fraud and waging an aggressive legal campaign that would ultimately leave him disbarred and under house arrest.

Scorched Earth traces the twists and turns of this extraordinary transnational battle: from oil fields in the rainforest to film festivals in Utah to courtrooms in New York, from a celebrated David-versus-Goliath victory to one of the most controversial corporate counterattacks in recent memory. Along the way, exploring the broader stakes—how American law can be weaponized, what accountability looks like in the climate change era, and where the line is drawn between righteous advocacy and misconduct.

At the center of it all is Donziger himself. Cast by some as a crusader who stood up to Big Oil; to others, as a lawyer who crossed ethical boundaries. Scorched Earth ultimately asks: in this high-stakes battle, who is the villain? And are there any heroes?

©2025 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.

How crooked the legal system can be used.

The truth is out. It finally is out there. We need to fix the system.

great content

This is a very informative podcast but why are the episodes out of order? Apparently it's recapitulating several books about this topic although there are also original interviews

Fascinating corruption!

Destruction of the Amazon rainforest by an American oil company is unconscionable. Danzinger’s tenacity should have won the case, but deep-seated corruption and collusion between the attorneys for the oil company and the “legal system” greased the wheels for an outcome that left the oil company victorious and the people of Ecuador scarred for life.

super clear explanation of a super convoluted case

this case is so infuriating for so many reasons and i think the author did a really good job of conveying that, and explaining the convolutions and complications in a professional and honest way. i feel like i understand something super complicated now so thanks !! and i like the author and narrator, somehow i like their personalities if that makes sense lol

Rounding out the story

I got this title thinking it was simply a post mortem on this new story. I probably listened to no less than 10 separate podcast that had Steve on it and I was curious how everything had developed in the ensuing years. What I think was particularly insightful was that it came from David Sirota who definitely fell on the side of Steve when his house confinement started. Any other author and I would have been skeptical of their motives but I think he did a good job being balanced. Very easy to breeze through in a work day and very insightful.