<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><span class="section-lead">On Monday morning</span> outside the Supreme Court, as Justices heard arguments concerning a <a href="https://grist.org/energy/supreme-court-wrestles-with-who-should-pay-for-climate-change-suncor-boulder/">landmark climate liability lawsuit,</a> a rally organized by the Center for Climate Integrity and Fossil Free Media drew a crowd of roughly one hundred people. Many carried signs with messages like “Climate Change is No Accident,” “SCOTUS Hands Off Boulder,” and “Warning: Burning Fossil Fuels Can Destroy Civilization.” At several points, <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszEFuwyAQheHTwI6IGfAACxbZ5BoRDOME1alTjHL-ylW339P7W8bI3pKWDCEBAjnw-pmprYtb_RJrjWLtAt6ydxKQbYTggu6ZCjsupXIIFO7QguNIyVENytujN_nqP-ZV-ibjMGHl1IjXyiZOYr6cg97yc863cleFN4W3-ZS37O9NPrU_9r5d9vFQeNMvab2YIZuUQ0xv-Q_u_6Dc1ZEHQD3yOMr3LOPoMnblLfdxNvQxh8jrfK4tUcCWDCaKxruCJtm6GEJv0VoPsIL-ZPwNAAD__6IkVMs">The People v. Big Oil gathering</a> chanted “They knew, they lied,” referencing fossil fuel scientists and executives who were aware more than <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/project/exxon-the-road-not-taken/">50 years ago</a> that burning fossil fuels would raise global temperatures, yet sowed doubt to undermine scientific evidence.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Louie Delaware, a survivor of the 2021 Marshall Fire, addressed the crowd, stating, “No company or industry should gain an advantage by hiding facts that people need to protect their health, their communities, and their future. The bottom line is that they knew, they lied, and they must be accountable for their actions.” Delaware lost his home along with roughly 50 others on his street when the fire devastated Boulder, Colorado, and his family was displaced for more than two and a half years. Other survivors of the Marshall Fire and the <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/tags/eaton-fire/">2025 Eaton fire</a> in Altadena, California, also spoke at the rally.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Inside the courtroom, the justices heard arguments in <em>Suncor Energy v. Boulder</em>, a case concerning whether local governments can demand damages from fossil fuel companies for their contributions to climate change. The fossil fuel companies argue that a state court cannot hold multinational companies accountable for global harm. The case revolves around a dispute initiated by the City and County of Boulder, which first sued the energy companies in <a href="https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/Boulder_Amended_Complaint_06112018.pdf">2018</a>. Boulder claims that Suncor and Exxon deceived the public about the dangers of climate change and should pay damages for climate-induced heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and floods. Boulder stated, “The damages will only multiply as climate change worsens.” Suncor and Exxon are asking the justices to dismiss the case before it goes to trial.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ruling by the eight justices could have significant implications for people in Colorado and beyond, as dozens of other climate-related lawsuits depend on the outcome of <em>Suncor v. Boulder</em>.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Zaire Calvin, who lost his sister and several homes in the Eaton Fire, expressed solidarity with the Boulder survivors, stating, “From Altadena to Boulder, we carry different stories. Today, we stand together in one demand: let the evidence be heard. Let responsibility be determined.” California’s own climate liability lawsuit against major oil companies is currently on hold pending the Supreme Court's decision on the Boulder case.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Former Washington state Governor Jay Inslee attended the rally, asserting, “The fossil fuel industry malignantly and maliciously lied to the American people, and I’ll be damned if I let them take away an American right to hold industries accountable and have their day in court.” Inslee, who signed Washington’s <a href="https://ecology.wa.gov/air-climate/climate-commitment-act">Climate Commitment Act</a> in 2021, has been vocal against industry efforts to secure immunity from climate liability lawsuits.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">After the speeches, I spoke with Deirdre Macnab and Dr. Kathryn Bedell, regenerative cattle ranchers from Rio Blanco County who attended the event. Macnab expressed her hope for the Supreme Court's involvement, stating, “I’m glad it’s coming to the Supreme Court. Now we need to come together. We can solve this.” Bedell highlighted the severe impacts of climate change on agriculture, stating, “I think there isn’t anybody here who should be able to deny the impacts of climate change. It’s going to be obvious in our food supply pretty soon if we don’t change.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As oral arguments concluded, I spoke with Louie Delaware and another Marshall Fire survivor, Jenny Singer-Rupp. Delaware emphasized the importance of access to the courts, saying, “One of the tenets of a free democracy is ‘the David’ can go after ‘the Goliath’. Everybody deserves their day in court to be able to prove their case.” He referenced past settlements by large entities, noting that accountability is possible. Singer-Rupp expressed her concerns for her children’s future, stating, “My kids talk to me about climate change and natural disasters, and they’re worried about their future.”</p>