The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy aiming to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Boulder, Colorado officials holding them responsible for climate change impacts.
Boulder’s 2018 suit accuses the oil companies of violating state law and seeks unspecified monetary damages to cover costs associated with climate change mitigation.
Driving the news: City and county governments in Boulder claim that Exxon and Suncor misled the public about the contribution of their products to climate change while profiting from fossil fuel sales.
- The companies argue the lawsuit interferes with federal regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act and should not proceed in state court.
- The Colorado Supreme Court denied the oil companies’ request to dismiss the case, prompting them to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
State of play: President Trump’s administration supported the oil companies’ effort to have the lawsuit thrown out.
- Nearly 60 state and local governments have launched similar climate-related lawsuits seeking billions in damages, with more cases continuing to be filed.
- The Supreme Court previously declined to throw out a comparable lawsuit from Honolulu that also targets oil companies for alleged climate damages.
What we’re watching: The outcome of the case could set precedent for how climate suits against fossil fuel producers proceed across the country.
