A court's message: Global warming politics isn't local

Cities sue in local jurisdictions over pollution's effects, but smog doesn't stop at state lines

National Guard troops help New Yorkers forced to evacuate during Hurricane Sandy. Photo: NY National Guard.

. . . . Their concerns may be local — in particular, flood damage caused by global warming — but New York City has just joined Baltimore in finding out that their attempts to sue oil companies for the climate effects of pollution will likely have t…