It is as if an asteroid were barreling toward Earth and the government decided to shut down our only defenses. Seeking to quash this suit, the government bluntly insists that it has the absolute and unreviewable power to destroy the Nation.
The above statement was made by Judge Josephine Staton, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, on January 17, 2020, in Juliana v. United States. It is the epigraph to Alan D. Levy’s summary of three significant U.S. court cases. It describes the type of claims that have been made south of the border concerning the potential responsibility of governments and the fossil fuel industry for the harms caused by energy policies and practices that have led to the current climate catastrophe.
To read the summary, click the button below.