Climate Change News
Climate Change
Fourth climate change case against Big Oil tossed out of state court
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) - Another state court judge has thrown out a climate change lawsuit brought against the fossil fuel industry by government officials who have hired private lawyers hoping for jackpots.
Climate Change
Why wouldn't SCOTUS take up Hawaii climate change case, as others fail around it?
The oil industry won a high-profile victory in New York this week, right on the heels of a bitter defeat as the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling allowing a similar climate change case to proceed.
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Climate Change
NYC loses - again, in a different court - its climate change case against Big Oil
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Government officials allied with private lawyers hoping for climate change jackpots wanted their cases heard in various state courts, but yesterday a third state judge tossed their claims at an early stage.
Climate Change
SCOTUS declines to hear Big Oil's appeal of Hawaii climate change ruling
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court will let stand a ruling in Hawaii that paves the way for government officials represented by contingency fee lawyers to sue the oil industry over the effects of global warming.
Climate Change
Big Oil makes last push for SCOTUS intervention in climate change case
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Oil companies have made their final plea for help from the U.S. Supreme Court as they battle a Hawaii ruling that kept alive a lawsuit that seeks to hold them liable for the effects of climate change.
Climate Change
Dem Pa. AG candidate: Litigation not part of addressing climate change
HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - The Democrat hoping to replace Michelle Henry as Pennsylvania Attorney General doesn't seem to be willing to push climate change lawsuits against the oil industry, like some local officials have.
Climate Change
Oil companies say Md. judge keeps climate suit alive for wrong reason
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) - Oil companies say a Maryland judge is keeping a climate lawsuit by Annapolis and Anne Arundel County alive for the wrong reason while ignoring a fellow judge’s dismissal of a nearly identical case by the City of Baltimore.
Climate Change
Climate change may be 'accident,' but CO2 is 'pollutant,' Hawaii court rules
HONOLULU (Legal Newsline) - Recklessly emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere qualifies as an “accident” but CO2 is also a “pollutant” excluded from insurance coverage, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled, answering questions central to a closely watched climate lawsuit.
Climate Change
Bucks County cut corners to file climate change lawsuit, oil industry says
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - Picturesque Bucks County, Pa., decided to do something about climate change itself earlier this year when it hired private lawyers on a contingency-fee basis to sue 14 of the world’s largest oil companies.
Climate Change
Ebony Twilley Martin out as executive director of Greenpeace USA, while new interim leadership helms group amid Energy Transfer lawsuit
A pair of temporary leaders are currently helming Greenpeace USA, after its now-former executive director Ebony Twilley Martin recently departed the organization under circumstances that have yet to be made fully clear.
Climate Change
Baltimore judge throws out climate change case, says it's beyond the power of a state court
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - For the first time, a state court judge has thrown out one of the climate change lawsuits brought against the energy industry by an alliance of government officials and private lawyers.
Climate Change
No decision on climate change appeal from SCOTUS; Biden Admin asked for input
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Rather than grant or reject a petition seeking appeal of a key ruling in a climate change lawsuit against the oil industry, the U.S. Supreme Court has instead asked the Biden Administration its thoughts.
Climate Change
Arizona Legislature sues Environmental Protection Agency over new rules pushing switch to electric vehicles
The Arizona Legislature has filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency, after the group issued pollution emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles that will require a speedy, costly transition to electric-powered vehicles and potentially tax the state’s power grid.
Climate Change
State AGs say Hawaii case is 'unique opportunity' for SCOTUS to halt climate lawsuits
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A group of 20 state attorneys general has joined the oil industry in calling for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a Hawaii lawsuit over climate change, saying the case offers a “unique opportunity” to decide whether state courts have the power to effectively drive national energy policy.
Climate Change
Oil industry asks SCOTUS to put an end to local government climate change suits
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - For the first time, the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review the merits of long-running climate change litigation that represents an alliance between personal injury lawyers and government officials nationwide.
Climate Change
Delaware loses some claims against oil companies but can proceed with disinformation lawsuit
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) - Delaware has presented enough evidence to proceed with its lawsuit accusing BP, ExxonMobil and several other oil companies of misleading consumers about the dangers of global warming, although it can’t sue over damages stemming from out-of-state emissions, a state court judge ruled.
Climate Change
Climate change plaintiff drops case after being told to continue in federal court
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Rather than continue in a federal court, a fishermen's group suing Big Oil over climate change would prefer to drop the matter entirely.
Climate Change
Honolulu climate is suit about 'disinformation,' not emissions, Hawaii Supreme Court says
HONOLULU (Legal Newsline) - Honolulu’s lawsuit against the oil companies isn’t about halting fossil-fuel production or regulating greenhouse gas emissions but stopping the industry’s practice of lying to consumers, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled.
Climate Change
Oil companies say Maryland climate change suits reach beyond boundaries
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) - Oil companies sought to dismiss a pair of climate lawsuits by Maryland municipal governments, saying they seek money for global-warming emissions far outside state boundaries and are based in part upon corporate statements protected under free speech laws.
Climate Change
Judge in R.I. climate change case responds to bias arguments
NEWPORT, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - The judge hearing Rhode Island's climate change case against companies like Chevron and Exxon has responded to their claims he appears to be biased against them.