Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Climate Liability Case as Alito Recusal Threatens 4-4 Split
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on October 5 in Suncor Energy v. Boulder, a pivotal case determining whether federal law preempts state-level climate damages claims against ExxonMobil and Suncor. The City and County of Boulder seek billions in damages for climate-related harms, alleging the companies misled the public. Justice Samuel Alito’s recusal creates a risk of a 4-4 split, which would uphold the lower court’s decision without setting a national precedent. The outcome could impact dozens of similar lawsuits across the US.