Ninth Circuit Rejects Youth Climate Suit

Youth plaintiffs are challenging government energy policies that they say promote fossil fuels and worsen climate-related harms, but courts are largely rejecting broad lawsuits seeking system-wide remedies.

The Ninth Circuit affirmed dismissal of Lighthiser v. Trump, finding that the alleged injuries were too difficult to trace to the challenged executive orders and that the requested injunction would require courts to supervise executive energy policy. A separate Wisconsin case reflects the same dispute over whether climate-related constitutional claims should be resolved by courts or through political and legislative processes.