The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied hearing a lawsuit from young climate activists regarding several Trump administration policies.
The federal court rejected the 22 young people’s suit challenging a slew of executive orders signed by President Trump in early 2025. The orders declared a national energy emergency and promoted increasing development of coal and other fossil fuels. The plaintiffs argued these policies would continue to worsen planet-warming emissions and the harms of climate change.
Missoula federal district court Judge Dana Christensen dismissed the case after its hearing last fall. In his decision he wrote that he agreed the young people were being negatively impacted by climate change, but that the court could not review every action taken by the Trump administration.
The Court of Appeals agreed, saying the court did not have the power to grant the relief the plaintiffs were asking for.
