Lawyers are optimistic that the youths’ climate change lawsuit will go to trial

Attorneys for 21 young Americans who accuse the U.S. government of violating their constitutional right to a safe and livable climate said they are hopeful that they’ll get to take their case to trial after a pivotal appeals court hearing Tuesday.

Kelsey Juliana, the lead plaintiff in the case, addresses
 a crowd of supporters at a rally in downtown Portland,
Ore., after Tuesday’s appeals court hearing. 

During the intense one-hour session before the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, three judges asked numerous questions about the type of remedy the court might provide to address the injuries the young plaintiffs say they have suffered because of government actions that exacerbated global warming.

”Remedy comes at the end of the case,” said Philip Gregory, an attorney for the plaintiffs. And he found their focus on it encouraging. He said he felt “very positive” about the day’s proceedings.

The judges will decide whether the case known as Juliana vs. U.S. gets thrown out or gets a full airing in district court.

Read the story from the LA Times by Julia Rosen - “Lawyers are optimistic that the youths’ climate change lawsuit will go to trial.”

Pope Francis brings the urgency of climate change to the White House

I

n his first public address during his visit to the United States, Pope Francis spent the majority of his time harping on one issue: Climate change.

Pope Francis has brought the urgency of
climate change to the White House.

Speaking before a massive crowd outside the White House Wednesday morning, Pope Francis began his talk by referencing his immigrant heritage, noting, “As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families.” He then offered an aside praising the merits of religious liberty, asking the U.S. government to pay heed to the beliefs of American Catholics and “respect their deepest concerns and their right to religious liberty.”

But just three paragraphs into his prepared remarks, Francis pivoted sharply to the another issue near to his heart — the environment.

Read the ClimateProgress story - “In First U.S. Address, Pope Francis Spends Most Of His Time Talking About Climate Change”.