UCLA’s Carlson and Horowitz interviewed as experts regarding dismissal of youth climate change lawsuit

Ann Carlson (professor and faculty co-director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA Law) and Cara Horowitz (co-director of the Emmett Institute) were interviewed in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, respectively, about a federal appeals court decision to dismiss Juliana v. United States. The landmark climate change lawsuit was filed by a group of 21 kids and young adults in 2015 argued that the United States government’s use of fossil fuels violates their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property.

Carlson said what surprised her and many other experts was how far the lawsuit had proceeded. “I’ve always thought this case was creative and interesting but a long shot,’” she said, also noting, “There really is a giant dilemma here about the lack of political will to address the problem, [and] the lack of judicial comfort in stepping in to solve the problem.”

Horowitz told the Los Angeles Times, “The 9th Circuit recognizes that climate change is an existential threat … and agrees that the political branches have not done enough to address this problem in the past and are unlikely to do so in the future. But the court just feels it’s in a really difficult situation.”

Read more at The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.