Climate lawfare in blue-state courts could hurt US energy consumers, expert says: 'Huge effect'

Consumer advocate warns of climate lawsuits' national impact, as tiny jurisdictions aim to influence oil production and economic sectors through courts.

"You really have to understand that these suits matter a ton," said Skinner, who is a fossil fuel industry advocate and executive director at nonprofit Alliance for Consumers. "If a court in Oregon declares climate change to be a public nuisance, and orders the nine biggest energy companies in America to stop the nuisance, they're going to unlock billions of dollars for their green initiatives, and going to be asking the court to prevent these energy companies from opening a new oil field, drilling, producing, refining, everywhere."