USA: Supreme Court clears path for Hawaii’s lawsuit against big oil’s alleged misinformation
"US supreme court allows Hawaii lawsuit against fossil fuel firms’ misinformation", 13 January 2025.
...The supreme court has shot down the fossil fuel industry’s attempts to kill a Hawaii lawsuit, which is seeking to hold the sector accountable for an alleged decades-long misinformation campaign.
The Monday decision will allow the closely watched litigation, filed by officials from Honolulu, to proceed toward a trial. It is a procedural victory for the wave of climate accountability lawsuits filed against oil and gas companies in recent years.
In March 2020, the city and county of Honolulu and the Honolulu board of water supply sued oil companies for violations of state law, including for creating a public nuisance and failing to warn the public of the risks posed by their products.
Defendants Sunoco and Shell, along with 15 other energy companies, have sought to move the litigation to federal court, arguing that state courts cannot rule on interstate pollution.
A state court in October 2023 denied the oil companies’ efforts, saying the case could move forward because it focuses on alleged deception in marketing and public statements, rather than on the physical impacts of greenhouse gas emissions.
On Monday, the supreme court declined to weigh in on whether the lawsuits should be blocked.
“This landmark decision upholds our right to enforce Hawaii laws in Hawaii courts, ensuring the protection of Hawaii taxpayers and communities from the immense costs and consequences of the climate crisis caused by the defendants’ misconduct,” ..., executive director and chief resilience officer for the city and county of Honolulu’s office of climate change, sustainability and resiliency, said in a statement.
...[A]spokesperson for American Petroleum Institute, the country’s largest oil and gas lobby group, said in a statement that the industry is “disappointed” by the supreme court’s decision....
Eleven state attorneys general and dozens of municipalities have filed similar challenges against big oil, attempting to hold them accountable for allegedly deceiving the public about their products’ role in the climate crisis. Monday’s decision marks the fourth time since 2023 that the supreme court declined to consider fossil fuel industry appeals to thwart the litigation, which could cost the companies billions of dollars...
So far, no climate accountability lawsuit has gone to trial. But Monday’s decision brings that prospect...