Two federal judges rule against and for hearing of cities’ suits versus oil companies over climate costs

One throws out San Francisco and Oakland’s case, another rules cases of San Mateo and Marin Counties and the City of Imperial Beach can be heard in state court.

Michael Burger, executive director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University: the judge “focused on the need to balance the benefits of energy production against the harms of climate change, a balancing act carried out not only by the U.S. government but also by governments all around the world.” It is too early to tell whether the decision would persuade other judges hearing similar cases around the country, Burger said.