The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up an appeal from oil and gas companies, leaving intact lawsuits that aim to hold the industry financially accountable for extensive damages linked to climate change.
Why It Matters
The lawsuits could potentially have a big effect on monetary losses for these different oil and gas companies.
The suits could also pave the way for further legal action brought up against these companies.
What To Know
Oil and gas companies are grappling with a surge of lawsuits accusing them of misleading the public about fossil fuels’ role in driving climate change. States such as California, Colorado and New Jersey are pursuing billions of dollars in damages for the devastating impacts of wildfires, rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
These cases are part of a broader global trend where governments and organizations are turning to the courts to accelerate action on climate change.
In Hawaii, oil and gas companies turned to the Supreme Court after the state’s highest court ruled against them in a lawsuit brought by the city of Honolulu.
The companies contend that greenhouse gas emissions are a national issue and argue that such cases belong in federal court, where they have previously succeeded in getting similar lawsuits dismissed.
At the Supreme Court’s request, the Biden administration urged justices to reject the appeal, arguing that the case should remain in state court for now. With the Republican-led Trump administration set to take office, a significant shift in environmental policy and energy production priorities is widely anticipated.
Honolulu maintains that its case, rooted in state laws targeting deceptive marketing, deserves to proceed at the state level.
What People Are Saying
Attorneys representing multiple companies wrote in court documents while appealing the decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court: “The stakes in this case could not be higher.”
The attorneys also said that the ongoing lawsuits “present a serious threat to one of the nation’s most vital industries.”
Recent New York Legislation
Last month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed legislation that requires major fossil fuel companies to contribute fees to support New York’s climate change mitigation efforts.
“This landmark legislation shifts the cost of climate adaptation from everyday New Yorkers to the fossil fuel companies most responsible for the pollution. By creating a Climate Change Adaptation Cost Recovery Program, this law ensures that these companies contribute to the funding of critical infrastructure investments, such as coastal protection and flood mitigation systems, to enhance the climate resilience of communities across the state,” Hochul’s office said in a statement.
What’s Next
It is currently unclear if the oil and gas companies will respond to the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court this week.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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