US Supreme Court Hears Big Climate Case
The US Supreme Court is hearing a big climate case. Leaders in Boulder County, Colorado, are suing two oil companies, Suncor and ExxonMobil. They want the companies to pay for climate damage. The oil companies want to stop this lawsuit. This case is very important for many other cities in America.
The Supreme Court has a big case today. It is Monday. The court starts a new term. This term is nine months long.
There is a big fight. The fight is about the environment.
Local leaders in Boulder County have a problem. Boulder is in Colorado. The weather is changing. The changes cost a lot of money. The local taxpayers pay these high costs.
The leaders want money from oil companies. These companies are Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil. Suncor is a Canadian company.
Boulder has a lawsuit in a state court. The leaders say the companies know about damage. The companies know about damage from fossil fuels. But the companies do not tell the truth.
Now, the oil companies want to stop it. They say state courts cannot hear this case. They say only federal law can control this.
The Supreme Court judges listen to both sides. They talk for almost two hours.
There are eight judges in this case. One judge is Samuel Alito. He does not help with this case. He has oil stocks.
So, there are five conservative judges. There are also three liberal judges. Boulder needs one conservative judge to win.
Kannon Shanmugam is the lawyer for the companies. He says climate change is a big problem. But he says state courts are not correct. He says lawmakers must make these decisions.
Many other cities also have lawsuits. This case can stop all of them. People are watching the court now.
Take a position. Out loud, if you can.
Four ways to start. Pick one and try saying it before you scroll on.
Tip · Record yourself, use in a notebook, or practice with a language partner.
How long is the new Supreme Court term?
Present Simple with 'There is / There are'
We use 'there is' for singular nouns and 'there are' for plural nouns to state that something exists.
“There are eight judges in this case.”
What to know · A1
Try saying this aloud
Scenario: You are explaining a problem at a local town meeting.
- 01“There is a big fight.”
- 02“The changes cost a lot of money.”
- 03“People are watching now.”
Register tip · informal
🔑Key Phrases
A simple way to describe climate change using the present continuous tense.
The weather is changing very fast this winter.
Describes a legal action taken by a city or county.
The city has a lawsuit against the factory.
Explains financial ownership in the fossil fuel industry.
My uncle says he has oil stocks.
Article Audio — Kokoro TTS
US Supreme Court Hears Big Climate Case
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
Do you think big companies should pay for weather changes?
Opinion - 2
Is the weather changing in your city?
Personal - 3
Who should pay to fix damage from bad weather?
Evaluate - 4
Do you think courts are the best place to talk about the environment?
Opinion - 5
How do you save energy in your home?
Personal - 6
Will oil companies become more or less popular in the future?
Predict - 7
Is it better to have laws from lawmakers or decisions from judges?
Compare - 8
What is the most important environmental problem today?
Evaluate
News sourced from: The Guardian Environment →. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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