"Republican-led states ask Supreme Court to quash Big Oil climate lawsuits," 23 May 2024

Nineteen Republican attorneys general have filed a... complaint directly with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to block several Democratic-led states from pursuing climate change-related litigation against major oil and gas companies in state courts.

The challenge... was filed by states including Alabama, Florida and West Virginia against five Democratic-led states.

The complaint alleges that California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Minnesota and Rhode Island, by suing major energy companies in state court seeking damages for the harms of climate change, are essentially trying to regulate global emissions and the U.S. energy system.

The lawsuit asks the high court to enjoin the defendant states from suing the companies over emissions or the sale and promotion of fossil fuel products in the plaintiff states.

The five states are among dozens of states and municipalities that have filed similar lawsuits against major fossil fuel companies such as Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Shell and BP alleging the companies knew for decades that burning fossil fuels would lead to climate change but worked to conceal that fact from the public... The energy companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment... They have argued the lawsuits seek to regulate interstate emissions or commerce, which are powers reserved for the federal government...