Portland, ore. – The United States Supreme Court refused Monday to listen to a request presented by young climatic activists who argued that the role of the federal government in climate change violated their constitutional rights, ending a legal battle of the decade that saw many of the plaintiffs grow from children and adolescents to adults.
The historical case was filed in 2015 by 21 plaintiffs, the youngest of 8 years. They affirmed that the actions of the United States government encouraged a fossil fuel economy violated their right to a climate that keeps life.
The case, called Juliana v. The United States after one of the activists, Kelsey Juliana, was repeatedly challenged by the administrations of Obama, Trump and Biden, whose lawyers argued that he sought to direct federal environmental and energy policies through the courts instead of the political process.
Julia Olson, the main legal advisor to the confidence of our children, the non -profit law firm that represented the plaintiffs, said the impact of the demand “cannot be measured only by the purpose of this case.”
“Juliana caused a global movement led by young people for climatic rights that continues to grow,” said Olson in a statement on Monday. “He has trained young people to demand their constitutional right to a climate and a future insurance. We have already obtained important victories and continue advancing.”
The plaintiffs wanted the court to hold a trial on whether the United States government was violating their fundamental rights to life and freedom when operating an energy system based on fossil fuels.
The case opened through the legal system for years. At one point in 2018, the president of the Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court, John Roberts, stopped a trial, John Roberts Just a few days before It was to start.
In 2020, the 9th Court of Appeals of the United States Circuit ordered the dismissed caseTo say that the work of determining the climate policies of the nation should fall on politicians, not the judges. But American district judge Ann Aiken in Eugene, Oregon, allowed activists to amend their lawsuit and ruled the case I could go to trial.
Last year, acting in a request from the Biden Administration, a panel of three judges of the ninth circuit issued an order that demanded that Aiken dismissed the case, and did. The plaintiffs then sought, without success, revive the lawsuit through their request to the Supreme Court of the United States.
The confidence of our children, which responds to the new developments at the federal level, is now preparing a new federal action that is “rooted in the same constitutional principles that guided Juliana’s case,” said Olson.
The plaintiffs now vary from 17 to 29 years and have continued their climatic defense to several degrees, said Olson, adding that some are still in college. Approximately half are from the cities of origin in Oregon, according to the website of our Children’s Trust.
“Everyone has incredible stories,” said Olson. “Everyone is doing incredible job.”
Juliana, who is now 29 years old, became a primary school teacher at Oregon, said Helen Britto, associate communications director of our Children’s Trust. Other plaintiffs include Alex Loznak, who became a lawyer focused on environmental work and immigration, and Nathan Baring, who now serves as director of the program of a reindeer grazing association in Alaska.
“We are part of a wave, so this is not the end of the road in any way,” Baring said about the movement of the Superior Court.
Miko Vergun, who was born in the Marshall Islands and grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, is fighting for a future in which the Nation of the Pacific Island can remain above sea level, according to the website of our Children’s Trust. Recently he graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in cultural anthropology, Britto said.
In Monday’s statement, Vergun said that the decision of the United States Supreme Court was not what the plaintiffs expected, but there were “many victories along the way.”
“For almost ten years, we have defended the rights of present and future generations, demanding a world where not only we cannot survive, but to prosper,” he said. “All the great movements have faced obstacles, but what distinguishes them is the perseverance of the people behind them. We have demonstrated the world that young people will not be ignored, and I am incredibly proud of the impact that Juliana V. United States has done.”
The confidence of our children has presented climate legal actions on behalf of young people in the 50 states, including active cases in Florida, Utah and Alaska.
In a case of Montana, the Supreme Court of the State in December confirmed to Historical climate failure That said, the State was violating the constitutional right of residents to a clean environment by allowing oil, gas and coal projects without taking into account global warmingand that regulators should consider the effects of greenhouse gase emissions by emitting permits for fossil fuel development.
The case, presented by 16 youth plaintiffs, had gone to trial in the State District Court in 2023. The Constitution of Montana requires that the agencies “maintain and improve” a clean environment.
The Environmental Quality Department of Montana, which issues permits for fossil fuel projects, must comply with the decision of the State Supreme Court, said Olson, added that our children’s confidence will seek to enforce the ruling in case it is violated.
In a case of Hawaii Brought by 13 young people about the threat of climate change, both sides reached an agreement Last year, that requires that the state government achieve zero emissions in its transport system by 2045. The liquidation agreement is applied to land transport, as well as maritime and aerial transport between the islands. The Court will supervise the implementation of the agreement for the next 20 years.
Internationally, the case of Oregon has inspired more than 60 climatic demands led by young people around the world, according to the confidence of our children.
