A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by young climate activists aimed at halting U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive orders supporting fossil fuels and discouraging renewable energy. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen acknowledged the plaintiffs’ concerns about the impact of climate change exacerbated by Trump’s policies. However, Christensen deemed the activists’ plea for judicial intervention regarding environmental policies as impractical and beyond the court’s authority.
The group of 22 plaintiffs, who previously won a significant climate case against Montana in 2023, argued during a recent hearing in Missoula that Trump’s pro-drilling and anti-renewable energy measures posed a threat to children and the environment. Additionally, a United Nations report released on Wednesday highlighted a record increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, intensifying climate change effects and extreme weather patterns.
Legal analysts noted the uphill battle faced by the young activists and their legal representatives from Our Children’s Trust in the federal lawsuit. While the Montana state constitution guarantees residents a right to a clean environment, such protection is absent in the U.S. Constitution.
Following the judge’s ruling, a White House spokesperson hailed the decision as a win for the administration and its energy dominance agenda focused on boosting fossil fuel production. The spokesperson emphasized Trump’s efforts to counter what was described as Joe Biden’s unpopular Green Energy Scam.
Christensen, in a detailed 31-page judgment, pointed out that granting the activists’ injunction would essentially mean reverting to the environmental policies of the previous administration, necessitating a review of all climate-related actions since Trump’s inauguration. The judge deemed this request unfeasible, citing the impracticality of monitoring numerous federal agency actions for compliance with the injunction.
Despite the setback, the climate activists plan to appeal the ruling, citing ongoing harm to the health, safety, and future of the young plaintiffs due to the government’s fossil fuel directives. The legal counsel at Our Children’s Trust expressed disappointment in the court’s decision, emphasizing the urgent need to address the detrimental effects of current environmental policies.
Moreover, the dismissal of the lawsuit echoes a similar outcome in a past federal climate case in Oregon, where the Supreme Court declined to review the final appeal after a decade-long legal battle. Christensen’s reference to this case underscored his conclusion that the Montana plaintiffs lacked legal standing to sue the government over climate-related issues.
In response to the ruling, representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice and several states, led by Montana, welcomed the decision to dismiss the case. Montana’s Attorney General praised the court’s decision, emphasizing the rejection of attempts to reinstate previous environmental policies under the Biden administration. The Attorney General criticized the lawsuit as a futile endeavor orchestrated by climate activists, asserting that the rule of law had triumphed.
Notably, only a handful of states, including Montana, have constitutional provisions safeguarding environmental protections. Despite legal victories in Montana’s Supreme Court urging closer scrutiny of climate emissions, substantial changes in environmental policies remain limited in a state largely governed by Republicans.