The Maryland Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County denied fossil fuel companies’ motions to dismiss claims by the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County that the companies’ “concealment and misrepresentation of their products’ known dangers—and simultaneous promotion of their unrestrained use—drove consumption, and thus greenhouse gas pollution, and thus the climate crisis.” With respect to personal jurisdiction, the court rejected the companies’ contention that they were not subject to the court’s general jurisdiction and also found that they had alleged “more than sufficient ‘contacts’ with Maryland which if shown can justify the invoking of the specific jurisdiction of this Court.” With respect to whether the plaintiffs stated a claim upon which relief can be granted, the court said it would exercise its discretion and defer a determination “until trial and/or until a further dispositive motion is considered after facts are discovered which can or cannot support the allegations.” The court dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims for punitive damages and also dismissed the American Petroleum Institute from the lawsuit, finding that the trade group was not a “person/merchant” within the meaning of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act. The court, however, granted the plaintiffs leave to amend their complaints to plead a separate count for conspiracy that included American Petroleum Institute.

Lawsuit seeking to hold fossil fuel companies liable for the consequences of climate change in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Anne Arundel County v. BP p.l.c.

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Maryland Trial Court Allowed Claims to Proceed Against Fossil Fuel Companies in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Lawsuits

Filed

United States of America

Maryland

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

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.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

The activities of industries that transforms raw materials into finished goods through industrial processes.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

Slow onset events evolve gradually from incremental changes over many years or from increased frequency or intensity of recurring events. As defined in the Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010), slow onset events include risks and impacts from rising temperatures, desertification, biodiversity loss, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and salinization.

Maryland Trial Court Allowed Claims to Proceed Against Fossil Fuel Companies in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Lawsuits

Risk

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance