A Hawai‘i trial court denied motions by fossil fuel companies to dismiss or grant summary judgment to the companies on climate change tort claims asserted by the City and County of Honolulu and Honolulu Board of Water Supply (Honolulu).

The court rejected the companies’ argument that, as a matter of law, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court’s October 2023 opinion allowing Honolulu to proceed with its lawsuit “expressly limited [Honolulu’s] claims to conduct that occurred in, or that targeted, the State of Hawai‘i.” Based on the oral arguments before the Supreme Court and a footnote in the Supreme Court’s opinion, the court concluded that the Supreme Court understood the scope of Honolulu’s claims, did not geographically limit those claims, and left Honolulu to prove causation at trial.

Lawsuit seeking damages and other relief from fossil fuel companies for alleged conduct that the City and County of Honolulu contends actually and proximately caused climate change impacts.

City & County of Honolulu v. Sunoco LP

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Hawai‘i Trial Court Rejected Fossil Fuel Companies’ Motions to End Honolulu Climate Suit

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Oil is a combustible liquid fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons, occurring as crude oil and refined into petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.

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Hawai‘i Trial Court Rejected Fossil Fuel Companies’ Motions to End Honolulu Climate Suit

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector