A federal appeals court has instructed the district court to dismiss a climate change lawsuit filed by youth plaintiffs against the U.S. government, denying them the chance to amend their case.
In short:
- The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the lower court to dismiss the youth-led climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States.
- Despite a 2020 ruling dismissing the case, the district court had allowed an amended lawsuit, which the appellate court ruled was against its mandate.
- The ruling signifies the difficulty of bringing climate action lawsuits against the federal government, even as state-level cases like one in Montana have shown success.
Key quote:
“We held that the Juliana plaintiffs lack standing to bring their claims and told the district court to dismiss.”
— Judges Mark Bennett, Ryan Nelson, and Eric Miller, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Why this matters:
The court's decision reinforces the challenges of pursuing legal action against the federal government on climate issues, blunting efforts to push for policy changes to address the climate crisis. Read more: Youth v. Montana — Young adults speak up.
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