Supreme Court to Weigh Oil-Industry Effort to End a Major Climate Suit

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by Karen Zraick

February 23, 2026

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The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a significant climate lawsuit that could shape the future of how lawsuits against the oil industry are handled in state courts. The case involves Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy, which argue they should not be held liable in state court for their role in global warming. This decision by the justices could have far-reaching implications for similar lawsuits filed by cities and states across the country. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2018 by the city and county of Boulder, Colorado, seeking to hold oil companies accountable for the costs of climate change under state law. It is one of about 40 comparable cases brought by local, state, and tribal governments over the past decade. These lawsuits typically seek monetary damages to cover expenses related to addressing climate impacts and often include allegations of consumer fraud, accusing the companies of hiding the risks of their products. The oil industry has long sought to shift these cases to federal court, arguing that global greenhouse-gas emissions are a matter for federal jurisdiction. However, in 2019, a federal judge denied this request, and the

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Originally published on NYT Homepage on 2/23/2026