A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling that dismissed a youth-led challenge to President Donald Trump’s directives to boost oil, gas and coal production.
A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel held Tuesday that the young climate activists lack the standing to sue over three executive orders that seek to bolster fossil fuels.
The youth in Lighthiser v. Trump argued they will be harmed by federal agency action over the next several years. But the judges say the link between the executive orders and the alleged injuries “is too speculative” for a lawsuit.
The youth could “only speculate” that the executive orders would be the cause of action that will worsen climate change and whether agencies will rely on the executive orders is “mere conjecture,” the court said.
