REGULATORY · MARKET STRUCTURE · USA Maryland high court rejects municipal climate torts Change Maryland’s highest court affirmed dismissal of climate tort lawsuits by Baltimore, Annapolis, and Anne Arundel County. Why it matters The court held state-law claims tied to global greenhouse-gas emissions are preempted by federal law, blocking municipalities from pursuing those tort remedies in Maryland courts. That restricts the ability of local governments to obtain damages from fossil fuel companies under state common law. Comparable state-level climate tort strategies in Maryland are now significantly harder or unavailable. Climate in the Courts · 9:35 AM More actions Like (sign in) Save (sign in) Share Facebook LinkedIn X / Twitter Copy link