Louisiana's pursuit of climate change litigation could produce change, but according policy experts, it could also negatively affect employment opportunities for a significant amount of people.
"Louisiana is setting the tone around the country by proceeding with its ill-fated lawsuits against some of the state's largest job creators," James Baehr, general counsel for the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, said. "Unfortunately, being known as the brains behind job-destroying litigation isn't something to be proud of, and it will do nothing to benefit the people of Louisiana moving forward."
Baehr said that instead of proceeding with "overreaching and misguided" lawsuits, which he says will likely result in more Louisianans seeking jobs and opportunity in friendlier neighboring states, "we should be exploring real solutions for our state's key issues, such as our backwards legal and regulatory systems."
"As is the case so often in Louisiana, our leaders are putting politics and status quo approaches ahead of hardworking citizens' best interests," he said.