US Supreme Court justices wrestled with complex questions over whether to let local governments try to hold oil companies liable for the harms caused by climate change, as they opened their new nine-month term yesterday.
The justices heard arguments in an appeal filed by ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy after Colorado's top court allowed a lawsuit by officials in Boulder, Colorado, accusing the companies of violating state law and seeking unspecified monetary damages. The companies, backed by President Trump's administration, argue that the federal government's authority to regulate air pollution precludes Boulder's claims.
Questions posed by the justices reflected a mix of concerns, including about unduly limiting the authority of states to pursue climate-related litigation, as well as the potential to unleash chaos if local governments across the country were permitted to sue these companies.
Read more about the justices’ questions from John Kruzel and Andrew Chung.
