The judge in Lighthiser v. Trump described climate change as a “children’s health emergency,” but found that the young plaintiffs lacked standing and the court did not have the authority to grant the relief they requested.By Dana DrugmandA federal district court in Montana Wednesday granted the Trump administration’s request to toss out a youth-led lawsuit challenging the administration’s efforts to increase the extraction and use of fossil fuels and other actions that suppress climate science and undermine renewable energy. While the court found it plausible that these actions would cause grave harm to the health and wellbeing of children, it determined that it is powerless to stop them, as that would tread into the realm of policymaking reserved for Congress.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: October 21, 2025 10:09 PM
Atmospheric CO₂
424.8 ppm
+18.0
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1933.54 ppb
+12.29
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year