Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito announced Monday that he will recuse himself from a major climate change-related case the court is set to hear next week, following weeks of pressure from environmental groups that argued he was compromised by his financial holdings in the oil and gas industry.
In a brief letter sent to the parties in the case, the Supreme Court's clerk wrote that the conservative justice had "determined that he will not continue to participate in this case," but did not offer further explanation for the decision.
The climate case will be the first argued at the Supreme Court as it opens its new term next Monday. The case, Suncor v. Boulder, deals with whether Boulder, Colorado, may sue Suncor Energy and Exxon Mobil for damages caused by climate change, or whether state tort laws are preempted by federal law and separation of powers principles.
The recusal came after the Supreme Court had previously stated that Alito was advised by the court's counsel that, despite his energy stock holdings, his recusal was not required in the appeal from oil and gas companies seeking to avoid state court liability for alleged climate-related damage.
A 2024 Bloomberg report noted that Alito was the only justice with a stake in more than two dozen individual energy companies, according to available information about his investment practices.