Bend, OR – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday effectively ended one of the most prominent youth-led climate change lawsuits, Juliana v. United States, by rejecting a bid to revive the case. The lawsuit, filed by 21 young activists, argued that U.S. government policies on fossil fuel extraction and consumption violated their constitutional rights to be protected from the harmful effects of climate change.
The justices declined to hear the plaintiffs’ appeal of a decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had ruled that the young people lacked the legal standing to sue the government. In its ruling, the 9th Circuit emphasized that the case raised complex policy issues better suited for Congress and the executive branch, rather than the judiciary.
The Supreme Court’s decision to decline the case means that the 2020 ruling by the 9th Circuit stands, which directed a federal judge in Oregon to dismiss the lawsuit. Despite this legal defeat, the plaintiffs’ attorneys are framing the outcome as a catalyst for broader climate activism rather than a defeat.
“This is not the end of the road, and the impact of Juliana cannot be measured by the finality of this case alone,” said Julia Olson, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at Our Children’s Trust. Olson emphasized that the case has helped to spark a youth-led movement for climate rights across the country.
The plaintiffs in Juliana contended that the U.S. government’s policies and actions, including the authorization, subsidization, and promotion of fossil fuel extraction and consumption, contributed to catastrophic global warming. They argued that these actions violated their rights to due process and equal protection under the Constitution.
However, the 9th Circuit had ruled in 2020 that addressing climate change through the judicial system was not feasible. The court held that remedying such complex, large-scale issues was not within the courts’ purview, and that solutions should come from the legislative and executive branches.
The decision in Juliana is part of a broader trend of legal challenges against government entities over climate change policies. Some cases, such as those in Montana and Hawaii, have seen success, with Montana’s Supreme Court ruling in December 2023 that the state’s constitution guarantees a right to a stable climate system. Hawaii also reached a historic settlement in June 2024 with youth plaintiffs to decarbonize its transportation system by 2045.
While Juliana ends at the highest legal level, the plaintiffs’ legal team remains committed to continuing the fight. They have filed several similar lawsuits across the country, seeking to hold government entities accountable for policies they believe exacerbate climate change. Despite the setback, advocates of youth-led climate litigation argue that the case has played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the need for systemic change to address the climate crisis.
