Supreme Court Opens Term with Pivotal Climate Liability Hearing
The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term on October 5 by hearing arguments in Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, a landmark case determining whether federal law preempts state-level climate damages lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. Boulder seeks billions in damages from ExxonMobil and Suncor for alleged climate-related harms, alleging decades of deception. Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself due to stock holdings, creating a risk of a 4-4 split that would uphold the lower court’s decision without setting a national precedent. The outcome could impact dozens of similar lawsuits across the U.S., including a major suit by California.