Courtroom gavel in front of blurred out background with pollution plumes.

Credit: Sergei Tokmakov, Esq. https://Terms.Law/Pixabay

Judge rules against NYC in lawsuit against oil companies

A New York state judge dismissed the city’s lawsuit claiming Exxon Mobil, Shell and BP misled the public about fossil fuels' role in climate change, saying the city failed to prove its case.

Lesley Clark reports for E&E News.

In short:

Justice Anar Patel ruled the city’s evidence did not show oil companies deceived consumers about the climate impacts of their products.
The court found that statements cited by the city, including marketing claims about cleaner energy, were either opinions or legally inactionable.
The decision follows similar rulings in Maryland and Delaware that dismissed parts of climate liability lawsuits against oil companies.

Key quote:

“Our complaint alleged that these defendants spent millions to mislead consumers to think that they, and their products, contribute to a clean energy future. They do not."

— Nicholas Paolucci, New York City Law Department

Why this matters:

The ruling weakens efforts by cities to hold fossil fuel companies financially accountable for climate-related damages. If courts continue to dismiss similar cases, it could hinder attempts to shift the cost of climate mitigation from taxpayers to polluting industries.

www.eenews.net

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Old mining equipment in the desert with mountains in the background and a cloud-dotted blue sky.

Credit: Neil Lockhart/Big Stock Photo

U.S. lithium mine approval violated Indigenous rights, report finds

The U.S. government approved the Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada without full tribal consultation, violating international human rights law, according to a report from Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Jeniffer Solis reports for Nevada Current.

Keep reading...Show less

Read the Full Article on

nevadacurrent.com

Judge rules against NYC in lawsuit against oil companies

Turkey surpasses Germany as Europe's biggest fossil fuel polluter

They turned to traditional foods to fight back against diet-related health risks

U.S. lithium mine approval violated Indigenous rights, report finds

Big polluters miss key UN deadline on climate plans

Virginia Democrats push to rejoin carbon market as Youngkin seeks disaster relief fund

Proposed oil tariff could raise gas prices in the Midwest

NOAA ordered to flag climate-related grants, raising fears of cuts

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Study shows $1 billion in lost tax revenue in Houston area from industry tax breaks

Top polluters are benefiting the most from tax breaks.