Climate change

NBC News - The Supreme Court kicks off a new term today, with the justices hearing an attempt by oil companies to throw out lawsuits alleging they should pay damages related to climate change.

The case concerns a lawsuit brought by the city and county of Boulder, Colorado against Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy. The ultimate decision could have broad ramifications for similar lawsuits around the country.

Boulder officials say they face increasing costs because of the impacts of climate change, including efforts to minimize risks from wildfires. They accuse Exxon and Suncor of misleading consumers about the effect of greenhouse gasses from their products, an allegation the companies deny.

Other major cases already on the court’s docket involve a challenge to bans on AR-15 semiautomatic rifles and two about the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policies.