NYC's Climate Change Lawsuit Against Oil Giants Dismissed

New York City's ambitious lawsuit against ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell, aiming to hold them accountable for misleading the public about their role in climate change, has been dismissed by a state judge. Justice Anar Patel ruled that the city couldn't claim its residents were misled, given their awareness of fossil fuels' impact on the climate. The judge found insufficient evidence of "greenwashing" campaigns by the oil companies, stating that claims like Exxon's fuel helping people drive "cleaner, smarter and longer" were too vague to suggest a deceptive link to climate change.

The city's law department is reviewing its options, expressing disappointment and reiterating its belief that companies violating consumer protection laws should be held accountable. The oil companies haven't commented, while the American Petroleum Institute celebrated the dismissal, arguing that climate policy should be determined by Congress, not the courts.

This decision follows a similar rejection of a previous lawsuit by the city and comes a day after the Supreme Court refused to halt Honolulu's own climate lawsuit against major oil companies. The legal battle over the oil industry's responsibility in climate change continues.