Supreme Court Rejects Sunoco, Shell Appeal, Allowing Honolulu to Seek Billions in Climate Lawsuit

Jan 13, 2025, 03:24 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear appeals from major oil companies, including Sunoco and Shell, seeking to dismiss a climate change lawsuit filed by Honolulu. The lawsuit, which accuses the oil industry of concealing and misrepresenting the climate change impacts of their fossil fuel products, will now proceed in state court. This decision allows Honolulu to move forward with its claims under state law, which include allegations of creating a public nuisance and failing to warn the public about the risks associated with fossil fuels. The city is seeking billions of dollars in damages, citing the oil companies' deceptive campaign. The oil companies had argued that the case should be heard in federal court, asserting that climate change is a matter of federal law. However, the Hawaii Supreme Court previously ruled that the lawsuit does not seek to regulate emissions and is not preempted by federal law.