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By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on
Monday ruled in favor of BP PLC, Chevron Corp,
Exxon Mobil Corp, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and
other energy companies contesting a lawsuit filed by the city of
Baltimore seeking monetary damages from them due to costs caused
by global climate change.
The 7-1 ruling came on a technical legal issue that could
help the companies in their effort to have the case heard in
federal court, as they would prefer, instead of state court,
which the city favors as it is seen as a more amenable venue.
The high court decided that the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did not correctly analyze whether
the case could be heard in federal court.
The Democratic-governed Maryland city's lawsuit targeted 21
U.S. and foreign energy companies that extract, produce,
distribute or sell fossil fuels, arguing that their activities
contribute to emissions of carbon dioxide and other so-called
greenhouse gases linked to climate change. An important port
city, Baltimore noted that it is vulnerable to sea-level rise
and flooding driven by climate change.
The Supreme Court's ruling could affect around a dozen
similar lawsuits brought by various U.S. states, cities and
counties.
One justice, Samuel Alito, did not participate in the case,
likely because he owns stocks in two oil companies involved in
the litigation.
(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham)
