Oil Lawyer Stresses Climate ‘Uncertainties’ In Wonky Court Tutorial

"SAN FRANCISCO -- In an unprecedented “tutorial” before a federal judge Wednesday, a lawyer for a major U.S. oil company accepted the scientific consensus that humans are the primary cause of global climate change. But he also emphasized uncertainties about future impacts, while deflecting industry responsibility.

The presentation by Chevron lawyer Ted Boutrous foreshadowed the strategy that oil companies will likely employ in trying to fend off climate change litigation filed by coastal cities. In this case, San Francisco and Oakland contend that oil and coal industries sought to delay emissions regulations by discrediting climate change research, and should be held liable for the impacts, including damage caused by rising seas.

U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup scheduled the tutorial Wednesday so both sides could summarize the history of climate change science, and the most import recent research, before scheduling further hearings."

Stuart Leavenworth reports for McClatchy March 21, 2018.

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"People Cause Climate Change, But Don’T Blame Big Oil, Industry Tells Judge" (San Francisco Chronicle)