In a significant legal decision, the US Supreme Court has denied a motion made by oil-producing states to block climate change lawsuits filed by several states against major oil companies, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP.
The motion was brought by oil-producing states including Alabama against the states of California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, each of which has initiated various claims against major oil companies alleging that such companies have mislead the public about the environmental impact of fossil fuels, and seeking contribution by such oil companies to the cost of mitigating and adapting to climate change.
The ruling means that California and other states can continue their claims in state courts (rather than deferring these to the federal courts, where oil-producing states beleive there may be a higher chance of dismissal).
This decision highlights the increasing use of court action in relation to climate change in the absence of national-level climate and illustrates the novel types of climate litigation which are becoming increasingly common.
With appreciation to Amineh Farasatmand for her contribution in preparing this blog.
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