Washington, D.C. – Phil Goldberg, Special Counsel for the Manufacturers’ Accountability Project, issued the following statement addressing the Second Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling directing the State of Connecticut’s climate lawsuit to proceed in state court.

“The Second Circuit’s ruling, while not surprising, misses the real issue here. Connecticut’s case may be creatively packaged under state law, just like many of the other climate cases, but the nature of climate change, this whole litigation and the remedies that Connecticut and other jurisdictions seek are all beyond the scope of any state law. Determining how best to address climate change, its causes and its impacts is a major national and international priority that cannot be decided piecemeal by state judges based on which companies each state or locality decides to sue.

“The best way to address climate change is for Congress, federal agencies, and local governments to work with manufacturers in the U.S. on policies and new technologies that reduce emissions. Innovation and collaboration, not litigation, remain the right path to bring about the type of society-wide technological advancements needed to address this global challenge.”