Event With Links to Oil Industry Teaches Judges “Healthy Skepticism” of Climate Science

A judicial education program with ties to the oil industry has taught state and federal judges to approach climate science with skepticism, ProPublica reports. The event instructed judges that they should question the consensus findings of climate scientists and maintain doubt about climate change evidence presented in litigation.

The program appears designed to influence how judges evaluate climate-related cases, particularly those involving environmental regulations and fossil fuel companies. By framing scientific consensus as something requiring "healthy skepticism," the curriculum potentially affects judicial decision-making in disputes where climate science is central to liability, damages, or regulatory compliance.

This educational initiative targets judicial officers at a critical moment. Courts nationwide face an expanding docket of climate litigation, from state attorney general enforcement actions against energy companies to tort claims alleging climate damages. Judges trained to doubt mainstream climate science may be inclined to discount expert testimony supporting climate causation or to give greater weight to industry-funded counterarguments.

The connection to the oil industry raises ethics concerns. Judicial education must maintain appearance and fact of impartiality. When providers with financial interests in climate litigation outcomes teach judges to distrust scientific evidence, it creates the impression of improper influence over judicial decision-making.

Courts have begun recognizing climate science as established and judicially noticeable fact. Federal and state judges have cited peer-reviewed research on climate change causation in recent opinions. Yet if judges receive instruction that encourages blanket skepticism of this evidence, it could fragment judicial approaches and embolden defendants to mount expensive expert witness challenges to widely accepted science.

The Program undercuts the judicial duty of impartiality. Judges must evaluate evidence on its merits, not adopt predetermined skepticism toward particular scientific fields. Educational programs for judicial officers should come from neutral sources without financial stakes in litigation outcomes. When fossil fuel interests shape judicial training, it compromises public confidence in the judiciary's ability to fairly adjudicate climate cases.

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