South Carolina Judge Dismisses Charleston Climate Lawsuit Against Oil Majors

A South Carolina judge dismissed the City of Charleston’s climate change lawsuit against major oil and gas companies, ruling that the case raised federal issues beyond the scope of state law. Judge Roger Young determined that claims related to greenhouse gas emissions and their effects fall under federal jurisdiction, not state tort law or the state's Unfair Trade Practices Act. The city had accused companies like Chevron and Exxon Mobil of misleading the public about fossil fuel dangers and orchestrating a disinformation campaign, which the companies denied while noting ongoing investments in renewable energy. The judge emphasized that courts are not the proper venue for crafting climate policy and warned that allowing the lawsuit to proceed could lead to conflicting state standards and a flood of similar litigation. This decision marks another setback for local governments attempting to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate-related damages. Overall, the ruling reinforces that climate change litigation is primarily a federal matter and not suitable for state courts.