Republican Attorneys General Petition Supreme Court to Halt Climate Change Lawsuits Filed by Multiple States
Republican attorneys general in 19 states are seeking to halt climate change lawsuits against the oil and gas industry in state courts led by Democrats.
The lawsuits claim that fossil fuel companies did not disclose the risks of their products contributing to climate change, resulting in billions of dollars in damages from severe weather events and rising sea levels.
The Republican attorneys are targeting lawsuits from California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, arguing that only the federal government has the authority to regulate interstate gas emissions.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall stated, “They do not have authority to dictate our national energy policy.”
California’s attorney general’s office criticized the Republican request, while Connecticut and Minnesota attorneys general called it “pure partisan political theater” and “absurd,” respectively.
The request from Republican attorneys general is considered “highly unusual” and involves states such as Alaska, Florida, Georgia, and others.
The Supreme Court may also address climate change lawsuits in a separate case involving oil industry defendants and a climate change lawsuit by Honolulu.
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