SCOTUS decision ends 2015 climate lawsuit brought by Eugene youth
Juliana v. United States has met its end, said Oregon-based climate activists, after nearly a decade of trying to bring the federal government to court for alleged Fifth Amendment violations. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 in Eugene.
EUGENE, Ore. — It’s the end of an era for a federal climate change lawsuit originally filed in Eugene back in 2015.
On March 24, the United States Supreme Court rejected a petition for certiorari, or review, filed by plaintiffs in the Juliana v. United States court case, effectively ending the case’s nearly decade-long run in the courts system.
The lawsuit was originally brought to the U.S District Court in Eugene by 21 plaintiffs, mostly young people, known as the “Juliana 21.” The plaintiffs alleged the federal government violated their Fifth Amendment rights by continuing to subsidize the fossil fuel industry and allowing excessive fossil fuel production on federal lands despite knowing the affects on climate — particularly carbon monoxide being released into the atmosphere.
The Juliana 21, the young plaintiffs who originally filed the 2015 lawsuit on the steps of the Eugene U.S District Courthouse, in a picture provided by the Our Children’s Trust.
“Juliana” in this case is named after one of the plaintiffs, Kelsey Juliana, who was a South Eugene High School student back in 2014.
“The decision does not address the merits of the case, as Juliana was dismissed without prejudice on jurisdictional grounds by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, preventing a trial on the substance of the youths’ claims,” said in a press release by Our Children’s Trust, who represented the plaintiffs. “The Supreme Court grants certiorari in fewer than two percent of cases it is asked to hear. However, two forthcoming opinions by the Court this term on similar jurisdictional questions related to repressibility will provide new guidance on standing in all federal cases going forward.”
The organization said the attempts to stall, delay or throw out the lawsuit by the federal government was unprecedented, spanning three presidential administrations from Barack Obama to Donald Trump.
Members of Juliana 21 are seen holding 2015 photos of themselves, years later as they continued to fight for the lawsuit to begin trial.
“Over the past nine years, the plaintiffs have faced unprecedented opposition from the U.S government, which repeatedly sought to block their case through the rare and aggressive tactics of petitioning for mandamus,” the press release said.
In a statement released by the U.S Department of Justice, Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said, “For nearly a decade, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Juliana case have tied up the United States in litigation, persisting even after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice instructed the case to be dismissed because the plaintiffs lack Article III standing. The U.S. Supreme Court’s cert denial brings this long saga to a conclusion. Through ENRD’s work, the Justice Department is enforcing our nation’s environmental laws and safeguarding America’s air, water, and natural resources. Cases like Juliana distract from those enforcement efforts.”
Our Children’s Trust said that despite the loss, the legacy of the case inspired a global movement.
“While the Supreme Court’s decision not to review the lower court’s dismissal brings this chapter of these claims to a close, the case has sparked a global movement. The legal framework established by Juliana has inspired over 60 youth-led climate lawsuits worldwide, against more than 50 countries and states,” the press release stated.
According to Our Children’s Trust website, the group is considering bringing Juliana’s purpose to an international stage where it “can be examined under the framework of international law.”
A timeline of the lawsuit’s process to reach trial over the past decade can be found here.
Aaron Arellano joined KEZI 9 News as a news reporter in September of 2023. If you have a story idea for Aaron, you can email him at aaronarellano@kezi.com.