Supreme Court Declines to Hear Appeals From Fossil Fuel Companies in Climate Change Lawsuits

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear five appeals from the fossil fuel industry seeking to move climate change lawsuits it faces to the federal courts. The decision opens the door for Baltimore and other cities, states and counties to pursue their claims for damages from climate-related extreme weather events, flooding and sea-level rise in state courts.

Since the localities began filing their climate suits six years ago, they have, for the most part, seen state courts as the appropriate, and more advantageous, jurisdiction for seeking damages caused by climate change using product liability, deceptive advertising and nuisance statutes.

They have contended that the industry has known for decades that burning fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases that warm the planet—harming local jurisdictions, their infrastructure and, ultimately, their citizens.

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This is by far the biggest thing that has happened this week.

What is interesting here the Supreme court only upholds laws passed by congress no matter what their point of view. That is the primary directive on this court. If abortion has not passed congress into law there is no abortion. If abortion laws passed congress then it would be constitutional. Good!

But here no matter how the defendants argued the law did not save them. It does not matter if a judge way out in right field was pro big oil. The law must have been clear. The plaintiff has their right to a day in court.

I can see the house trying to pass a bill to protect big oil and fossil fuel companies in the next couple of weeks. It wont become law.

This is a seismic earthquake. That does not mean the court will interfere.

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