Supreme Court's new term kicks off with blockbuster climate change case
The Supreme Court is hearing a case involving Boulder County, Colorado, and major energy companies regarding accountability for climate-related disasters. The outcome could set a legal precedent for how local governments hold corporations responsible for environmental damages.
Why it matters
This case tests the limits of state power and corporate liability, potentially reshaping the legal landscape for climate change litigation.
A new Supreme Court term begins Monday with arguments in a blockbuster case about the reach of state power.
Boulder, Colo., is suing two big energy companies, arguing they deceived people about the harms of fossil fuels and contributed to disasters that cost Boulder a lot of time and money.
The dispute could have ramifications far beyond the climate, to other areas where states are trying to hold companies accountable for their alleged harms to local communities.
In 2018, Boulder County slapped the giant energy companies Suncor Energy and Exxon Mobil with a lawsuit. Boulder argued the companies and a trade group knew decades ago that fossil fuels would hurt the environment, raising the risk of floods, extreme heat and wildfires.
Three years later, in late December 2021, the Marshall Fire swept across the county.
Also covering this story
4 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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