Suncor

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear the City of Boulder's lawsuit against oil company Suncor, a case seeking to hold energy firms accountable for climate-related damages in Colorado. The decision to take up the case could set a national precedent for how local governments pursue climate liability claims against fossil fuel companies. Observers say the ruling could shape dozens of similar lawsuits across the country.

The Congressional Research Service has published a primer for Congress on state-law climate tort litigation, focused on Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County. The case, brought by Boulder County, Colorado, seeks to hold energy companies financially liable for climate-related damages under state law. The report outlines the legal questions such suits raise and their implications for federal legislative action.