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U.S. NEWS Saturday 20 OctOber 2018
U.S. temporarily stops youth climate lawsuit days before trial

Continued from Front Court of Appeals, which re-
jected the request in July.
It marked a victory for the “The latest attempt to get
government, which under the U.S. Supreme Court to
the Obama and Trump stop the trial does not ap-
administrations has tried pear to be based on any
unsuccessfully for years to new evidence or argu-
get the case dismissed. An ments. The only new ele-
expert says the Trump ad- ment is an additional Su-
ministration tried again be- preme Court justice,” said
fore the Oct. 29 trial as the Melissa Scanlan, a profes-
court shifted to the right sor at Vermont Law School,
with the confirmation this who is not involved in the
month of Brett Kavanaugh. case.
The Supreme Court re- Kavanaugh replaced the
fused to toss the lawsuit in more moderate Anthony
July, calling it “premature.” Kennedy.
Justice Department law- Scanlan said the Trump
yers asked again Thursday, administration is trying to
arguing that the claim avoid “what they’re ex-
aims to redirect federal pecting to be a 50-day trial
environmental policies focused on climate disrup-
through the courts rather tion.” The trial in Eugene,
than through the political Oregon, was expected to
process. wrap up in January. In this Nov. 10, 2016 file photo, five of the 21 youth plaintiffs in a federal climate change lawsuit
Julia Olson, a lawyer repre- The federal government against the federal government, including, from left, Sahara Valentine, 11, Jacob Lebel, 19,
senting the young plaintiffs has argued in court filings Avery McRae, 10, Miko Vergun, 15, Kelsey Julianna, 20, and Zealand Bell, 11, celebrate on the
and chief legal counsel for that the young people courthouse steps in Eugene, Ore., after U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken rejected requests from the
Our Children’s Trust, said don’t have standing to federal government and trade groups representing many of the world’s largest energy companies
to dismiss their lawsuit.
they are confident the trial bring the case and the is- Associated Press
will move forward once sues should be left to the resources division, said of- single court to control the a matter of separation of
the justices receive their political branches of gov- ficials “firmly believe there entire nation’s energy and powers and preserving the
response, which is due by ernment, not the court. is no legal basis for this climate policy,” he said, opportunity in our system of
Wednesday. Jeffrey Wood, acting as- case to be heard in federal according to prepared government for those poli-
The Supreme Court has sistant attorney general for court.” remarks for a speech he cies to be decided by the
recognized in other cases the Justice Department’s The lawsuit “is an unconsti- gave Friday at a confer- elected branches, not the
that review of constitution- environment and natural
al questions “is better done tutional attempt to use a ence in San Diego. “It is courts.”q
on a full record where the
evidence is presented and
weighed,” she said in an
email. “This case is about
already recognized fun-
damental rights and chil-
dren’s rights of equal pro-
tection under the law.”
The young people say
government officials have
known for more than 50
years that carbon pollution
from fossil fuels was caus-
ing climate change and
that policies on oil and gas
deprive them of life, liberty
and property. They also
say the government has
failed to protect natural re-
sources as a “public trust”
for future generations.
The lawsuit wants a court
to order the government
to stop permitting and au-
thorizing fossil fuels, quickly
phase out carbon dioxide
emissions to a certain level
by 2100 and develop a
national climate recovery
plan.
The Trump administration
got a temporary reprieve
on the case after also
asking the 9th U.S. Circuit