Connecticut Wins Key Ruling Against Exxon in Climate Lawsuit

CONNECTICUT  —   In a major victory for Connecticut’s efforts to hold ExxonMobil accountable for its climate lies, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit today ruled that the state’s climate fraud lawsuit against the fossil fuel company can proceed toward trial in Connecticut state court. The unanimous ruling affirms a lower court decision and sets a precedent for similar lawsuits against Exxon and other companies filed by New York City and the State of Vermont, which are both within the Second Circuit’s jurisdiction.

Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, released the following statement:

“This ruling brings Connecticut one step closer to putting ExxonMobil on trial and holding the company accountable for decades of climate lies. Exxon has unsuccessfully fought to evade state court, where juries will hear the overwhelming evidence that the polluter knew its products caused climate change but chose to lie to the public to protect company profits. Communities have waited long enough for fossil fuel companies to answer for their climate fraud — it’s time the people of Connecticut get their day in court.”

Background on Climate Accountability Lawsuits Against Big Oil: 

Since 2017, the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont,  and the District of Columbia, as well as 36 municipal governments in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, and Puerto Rico, have filed lawsuits to hold major oil and gas companies accountable for deceiving the public about their products’ role in climate change. 

Seven federal appeals courts and more than a dozen federal district courts have now unanimously ruled against the fossil fuel industry’s arguments to avoid climate accountability trials in state courts. The Supreme Court declined to hear fossil fuel industry requests to hear appeals of similar rulings this spring, allowing climate lawsuits in states across the country to proceed toward trial. Earlier this month, California became the eighth U.S. state to take Exxon to court for climate deception.