Oil Industry Spurned by Supreme Court on Hawaii Climate Suit
- Honolulu law accuses industry of deceiving consumers on risks
- Case is one of dozens of similar lawsuits around the country
The core question in the appeals was whether Honolulu and its water board could use state consumer protection law to try to tackle climate change.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The US Supreme Court buttressed efforts by environmental advocates to hold oil companies accountable for climate change, letting Honolulu press a lawsuit that accuses the industry of deceiving customers about the risks posed by fossil fuels.
The high court, without comment Monday, refused to consider company arguments that federal law bars the suit, one of more than two dozen similar cases around the country. The suits collectively seek billions of dollars from companies that include Exxon Mobil Corp., BP Plc and Chevron Corp.