Big Oil’s Latest Legal Maneuver Fails, Honolulu’s Climate Lawsuit One Step Closer to Trial
By Kirsten Kagimoto, Chapter Deputy Director | Reading time: 2 minutes
Earlier this week, the conservative-majority US Supreme Court rejected Big Oil’s attempt to derail Honolulu’s lawsuit, which seeks to hold the industry accountable for its lies about the impacts of fossil fuels on our climate, and the resulting billions of dollars in damage it has caused.
“Big Oil is fueling the destruction we’re witnessing in real time, and that will only worsen over time,” said Wayne Tanaka, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi’s Chapter Director. “This decision shows that even across political divides, there is apparent agreement that corporations cannot deceive the public about the dangers of their products, even and especially when those lies have now placed our islands, our planet, and our children and future generations in existential jeopardy.”
This ruling allows Honolulu’s case to move closer to trial in state court, where oil and gas companies will finally face the overwhelming evidence of their deception. For decades, they have known their products contributed to the climate crisis. Instead of taking responsibility, they funded disinformation campaigns, promoted alternative theories, and lobbied against climate policies—all to protect their profits.
Honolulu filed this lawsuit in 2020, arguing that rising sea levels, flooding, extreme weather, heatwaves, and other climate impacts caused, and will continue to cause, billions of dollars in damage to public and private infrastructure. The oil industry knew about these impacts as early as 1968 yet chose profits over solutions, investing in propaganda rather than addressing the crisis.
This case is also part of a growing wave of climate lawsuits, including those in Maui County, California, Colorado, New Jersey, and beyond, all demanding accountability from the fossil fuel industry for the damage they’ve caused.
For years, Big Oil has tried to avoid responsibility. They argued that Hawaiʻi’s unfair and deceptive trade practices laws didn’t apply to this case, claiming federal law controlled issues like emissions and commerce. Their arguments were rejected by Hawaiʻi Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree and later upheld by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court in October 2023. Their attempt to move the case to federal court also failed when the US Supreme Court rejected their request in April 2023.
This latest decision is a critical milestone in the fight for climate justice. It demonstrates that with persistence, communities can, and must, stand up to powerful industries and demand accountability. Together, we will make sure that those who profit from environmental destruction are held responsible for their actions.
Read more about this week’s landmark decision from:
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaiʻi Public Radio
The Associated Press
Reuters
Sierra Magazine
Center for Climate Integrity