Washington, D.C. — Phil Goldberg, Special Counsel for the Manufacturers’ Accountability Project, issued the following statement ahead of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals oral arguments in Minnesota’s climate lawsuit:

“Minnesota’s claims may be packaged under state law, but their goals, the nature of the litigation, and the remedies they seek are all inherently national.  Federal judges have long understood that climate policy is federal and regulatory in nature. That’s why they have repeatedly rejected this type of litigation and why the litigation campaign’s architects are now trying to avoid the federal courts. Ultimately, their goals are clear: they want to use these lawsuits to raise energy prices even more on Americans—a cynical tactic that comes at a time when our energy security is threatened by global events and when Americans are already facing rapidly rising prices. If those pushing these types of lawsuits cared about solving climate change, they would work with manufacturers to continue developing technologies that allow us to use energy more efficiently, protect our environment and ensure our energy security.”