Climate Litigants See Cases Buoyed by Biden Pledge of Support

City and state officials suing Big Oil over climate change are eyeing President-elect Joe Biden’s victory as an advantage for their litigation.

The former vice president has pledged to “strategically support” cases against companies accused of misleading the public about fossil fuels’ leading role in global temperature increases. The commitment is a minor piece of Biden’s plans for aggressive action on climate change—but one that has drawn close interest from some advocates.

To lawyers spearheading more than a dozen lawsuits against Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp., and others, it’s a welcome change from the Trump administration’s support for ...