Climate
US Supreme Court hears big oil's bid to block climate damage lawsuits
October 5, 2026 at 06:38 PM · Updated 11d ago
Coverage
3 reports · 1 in Arabic, 2 in English · over 11 hours
يواليوم السابع
المحكمة العليا الأمريكية تنظر في قضية ترسم مستقبل دعاوى المناخ ضد شركات النفط
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TGThe Guardian
US supreme court to hear big oil’s bid to block climate damage lawsuits
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CNCNN
Conservative justices ask sharp questions of Colorado city suing oil companies over climate change impacts
(opens the publisher’s site)The US Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a dispute over whether state courts can hear climate damage lawsuits against major oil companies.
- The US Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in Exxon and Suncor's effort to block Boulder County's state-court lawsuit seeking climate change damages.
- Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the case, leaving a possible 4-4 tie that would uphold a Colorado ruling for Boulder without precedent.
- Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the lawsuit could "bankrupt" defendants if enough similar suits were filed.
- Exxon and Suncor argued greenhouse gas emissions are an inherently interstate challenge that preempts state tort law.
- The case, Suncor Energy v. Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County, stems from a 2018 suit by Boulder authorities against Suncor and ExxonMobil.
- A decision in the case is expected next summer.