"US supreme court takes up fossil fuel firms’ climate accountability case", 23 February 2026

The US supreme court has decided to hear arguments in a climate accountability lawsuit, marking the first time the high court has weighed in on such a case. The decision could potentially hinder the wave of climate litigation the US has seen in recent years...

The lawsuit in question was filed by the city of Boulder, Colorado, against two major oil companies: Suncor Energy USA and ExxonMobil Corporation. After Colorado’s supreme court refused to dismiss the lawsuit, the defendants filed a petition with the US supreme court asking them to shut down the case, arguing that it is pre-empted by federal laws.

If the supreme court rules against the defendants, that could be boon for climate accountability cases, allowing not only the city of Boulder but also those who have launched similar cases to breathe a sigh of relief. It could also inspire other governments to file similar litigation...

But if the justices agree with the oil companies, it could void the Boulder case – and potentially more than a dozen others that make similar claims...

But in the meantime, the court’s decision to take up the petition at all could slow all climate accountability cases’ proceedings toward trial as courts around the country await the supreme court’s decision...