A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by young climate activists aiming to halt U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive orders that support fossil fuels and discourage renewable energy. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen acknowledged the impact of climate change on the plaintiffs but deemed their plea for judicial intervention “impractical” due to the judiciary’s limitations in setting environmental policies.
The group of 22 plaintiffs, who previously won a significant climate case against Montana in 2023, argued during a recent hearing that Trump’s policies promoting drilling and mining while discouraging renewable energy pose a grave threat to children and the environment. Concurrently, a United Nations report highlighted a record increase in heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, intensifying climate change effects.
Legal experts noted the challenging nature of the federal case faced by the young activists represented by Our Children’s Trust. While the Montana state constitution guarantees the right to a clean environment, such provisions are absent in the U.S. Constitution. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers praised the court’s decision as a win for the administration’s pursuit of American energy dominance through increased fossil fuel production.
Judge Christensen, in a detailed ruling, expressed concerns that granting the activists’ injunction would essentially revert to the environmental policies of the previous administration, requiring extensive scrutiny of all climate-related actions since Trump took office. The activists plan to appeal the ruling, emphasizing the ongoing harm to their health and future caused by the government’s fossil fuel directives.
Reflecting on a similar past climate lawsuit in Oregon and the lack of standing of the plaintiffs in Montana, Christensen emphasized the court’s inability to unilaterally address climate change concerns. The U.S. Department of Justice and several states, led by Montana, had pushed for the case’s dismissal, which was eventually supported by the judge’s decision.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen welcomed the ruling as a victory for the rule of law, criticizing the activists for attempting to enforce unpopular policies. He highlighted that only a handful of states have environmental safeguards embedded in their constitutions, with Montana’s recent legal battles leading to limited changes in emissions analysis practices within the state.
