(CNN) - Arnold Schwarzenegger is setting his sights on big oil.
The former governor of California told Politico during a podcast from the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, that he plans to sue oil companies.
He accused oil producers of "knowingly killing people all over the world."
Schwarzenegger compared them to tobacco companies, saying they have known since 1959 that fossil fuels would lead to global warming.
It was fantastic to talk politics with all of you at @sxsw! Thank you @IsaacDovere for a wonderful conversation. We should all be proud of our political parties but we need our leaders to be public servants, not party servants. pic.twitter.com/ox8Y1XVyKD
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) March 11, 2018
He claimed to be in talks with several law firms, but does not yet know when he will file suit.
The Republican said he hopes to spread awareness about the dangers of burning fossil fuels.
Schwarzenegger has been outspoken in his support of action to address the environmental crisis.
With the assistance of other legislators, his USC Schwarzenegger Institute has compiled a list of environmental laws that protect the environment while supporting economic and job growth, called the Digital Environmental Legislative Handbook.
Schwarzenegger isn't the only one taking their climate change fight to court.
A group of children filed suit against the U.S. government over climate change in 2015. Called Juliana v. U.S., the case is proceeding despite the Trump adminstration's attempt to stop it, Our Children's Trust said.
Copyright 2018 CNN. All rights reserved. Raycom News Network contributed to this report.
