The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California has ordered a temporary stay in the landmark climate change lawsuit brought by 21 people, ages 10 to 21, against the federal government.

Backed by environmental groups, the children claim in their lawsuit, Kelsey Cascadia Rose Juliana et al. v. The United States of America, that the federal government has violated their constitutional rights by encouraging the use of fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gases that the plaintiffs say are damaging the climate system.

Two years ago, the Obama administration tried to have the cased dismissed. Earlier this year, the Trump administration petitioned the court to intervene, review, and overturn a decision made by a federal judge last year to allow the climate lawsuit to go to trial.

Chris Horner, a senior fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says the Ninth Circuit’s ruling could signal an end to the lawsuit.

“It’s entirely possible the panel’s ruling suggests that the end is near for this bizarre matter,” said Horner. “Of course, it’s possible the circus will continue a little while longer, continuing to chew through taxpayer resources to knock off what has to be seen as something of a desperation lawsuit."

—Source: climatedepot.com