US EditionJudge Dismisses City of Charleston Lawsuit Against Major Oil Companies
CHARLESTON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AUG 7 – Judge Roger Young ruled that state courts lack authority over climate litigation, aligning Charleston's case with a national pattern of dismissals favoring federal jurisdiction.
- Judge Roger Young of South Carolina dismissed the City of Charleston's 2020 lawsuit against two dozen oil companies on August 6 in state court.
- The suit alleged oil companies knowingly misled the public about climate risks, causing increased flooding and sought adaptation damages, but state law was ruled inapplicable.
- Young cited a 2021 federal precedent, stating climate change litigation belongs in federal courts and rejecting the notion that companies had a duty to warn given widespread knowledge of emissions harms.
- Young warned the lawsuit would trigger endless litigation involving any contributors to emissions, including Charleston itself, and barred the suit with prejudice, preventing refiling.
- The dismissal aligns with other state court rulings rejecting similar claims and leaves ongoing legal challenges elsewhere, highlighting tensions over addressing climate impacts through the judiciary.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Judge dismisses City of Charleston lawsuit against major oil companies
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A lawsuit filed by the City of Charleston attempting to hold two dozen fossil fuel companies accountable for the costs associated with adapting to climate change was dismissed by a federal judge on Wednesday. The city sued 24 "big oil" companies in 2020, alleging they engaged in a decades-long campaign to deceive the public about the environmental harms caused by their products. "Instead of warning us, they covered up t…
Charleston judge throws out city’s climate suit against Big Oil
A South Carolina judge has ruled that Charleston cannot use state tort and consumer laws to pursue oil companies over climate-driven flooding, saying the dispute belongs in federal court.Karen Zraick reports for The New York Times.In short:Judge Roger M. Young dismissed the 2020 complaint, which accused nearly two dozen fossil-fuel firms of a decades-long climate disinformation campaign and sought funds for adaptation work.Citing a 2021 Second C…
Charleston's lawsuit against 'Big Oil' gets dismissed in victory for fossil fuel industry
The city sued “Big Oil” in 2020 for deceptive messaging on correlation between greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Charleston judge's Aug. 6 ruling marked a victory for fossil fuel industry.
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