In environmental news, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a landmark youth climate lawsuit against the U.S. government, arguing the case does not belong in the courts. Juliana v. United States accuses the U.S. government of perpetuating the climate crisis and endangering the lives of citizens.
Judge Josephine Staton, the dissenting voice on the three-judge panel, wrote, “the government accepts as fact that the United States has reached a tipping point crying out for a concerted response — yet presses ahead toward calamity. It is as if an asteroid were barreling toward Earth and the government decided to shut down our only defenses.” A lawyer for the plaintiffs has vowed to appeal the ruling.
Click here to see Democracy Now’s interview with the lead plaintiff in the case, Kelsey Juliana.

In more environmental news, the U.N. has ruled that climate refugees cannot be forced to return to their home countries. The landmark decision could grant significant new legal power to millions of people around the world. Experts say tens of millions of people are expected to become climate refugees within the decade.