Chevron appeals $744.6 million climate verdict to supreme court after louisiana jury links company to coastal destruction

A landmark climate accountability case has reached the nation’s highest court after Chevron suffered a major legal defeat in Louisiana. In April 2025, a jury in Plaquemines Parish delivered a stunning $744.6 million verdict against the oil giant, finding the company responsible for contributing to the destruction of Louisiana’s vulnerable coastline and critical wetland ecosystems following an intensive 18-day trial.

The jury’s decision marked a significant victory for two coastal parish governments that sued Chevron over decades of environmental damage to one of America’s most ecologically important and rapidly disappearing landscapes. Louisiana loses approximately 16.57 square miles of land each year due to a combination of factors including sea-level rise, subsidence, and industrial activities that have disrupted natural sediment flows and damaged protective wetlands.

However, Chevron is fighting back, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday that the case should be moved from state court to federal jurisdiction. The oil company’s lawyers contend that climate-related lawsuits involve federal issues that transcend state boundaries and should therefore be handled in federal court, where corporate defendants often face more favorable legal precedents.

In a notable twist, Louisiana’s heavily Republican state government is opposing Chevron’s appeal, arguing that the substantial jury award should remain valid and that state courts have proper jurisdiction over the matter. This puts the traditionally oil-friendly state at odds with one of the industry’s major players, highlighting the growing tension between fossil fuel companies and communities bearing the brunt of climate impacts, even in energy-producing regions.