By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A judge has dismissed New York City’s lawsuit seeking to uphold Exxon Mobile BP (NYSE:) and Shell (LON:) responsible for misleading the public about their products and their commitment to renewable energy and the fight against climate change.
In a ruling Tuesday, state Supreme Court Justice Anar Patel said the city cannot claim its climate-conscious residents are sensitive to how fossil fuels cause climate change, for then be misled by the failure of oil companies to disclose how their fossil fuels are causing climate change. the products contributed to this.
“The city cannot have it both ways,” Patel wrote.
Patel found no evidence that oil companies and the American Petroleum Institute conducted “greenwashing” campaigns, including statements about clean and alternative energy, to boost sales of fuel products fossils in the city.
She also said broad statements such as Exxon’s claim that its fuel helps people drive “cleaner, smarter and longer” were too vague to suggest the defendants’ products had anything to do with them. see with climate change.
New York City, which has about 8.3 million residents, said companies were falsely portraying themselves in ads and on social media as leaders in fighting climate change, despite making minimal investments in clean energy such as wind and solar power.
She demanded civil fines and an end to the alleged deceptions.
Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesman for the city’s Law Department, said Wednesday that the city is exploring its options.
“Our complaint alleged that these defendants spent millions to mislead consumers into believing that they and their products were contributing to a clean energy future,” he said. “That is not the case. Companies that violate the city’s consumer protection laws should be held fully accountable. New Yorkers deserve no less.”
In a statement, Exxon said: “At some point, we hope that political figures across the country will understand that ideological hatred toward us does not mean we did anything wrong. »
Shell declined to comment. BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many U.S. state and local governments have sued oil companies over climate change, including emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Patel ruled a day after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to end the city of Honolulu’s lawsuit against Exxon, BP, Shell and several other oil companies.
New York City’s lawsuit began in April 2021, three weeks after a federal appeals court rejected its lawsuit seeking to uphold Exxon, BP, Shell, Chevron (NYSE:) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:) responsible for paying the costs of global warming.
The American Petroleum Institute welcomed the latest decision. “Climate policy is for Congress to debate and decide, not a patchwork of courts,” said Ryan Meyers, general counsel for the trade group.
The case is City of New York v. Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:) et al, Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, No. 451071/2021.
