Plaintiffs seeking to force the federal government to take immediate action to combat climate change face an uphill battle to avoid their claims being dismissed following a hearing today. Lawyers for the federal government and industry groups bombarded a U.S. district judge with reasons to dismiss the lawsuit that children filed against the Obama administration. Attorneys representing the children have advocated a novel theory: that the government has failed in its duty to protect the atmosphere as a "public trust" under common law.