Appeals court weighs whether to revive ‘sprawling’ climate change challenge to Trump orders

The Justice Department urged an appeals court on Monday to reject a bid by a group of young climate activists to revive a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive orders slashing climate change funding and aiming to boost energy production.

A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard arguments in a case brought by a group of 22 climate activists challenging Trump’s orders halting funding for climate change programs. As the activists describe it, his actions violate their constitutional right to life because the executive orders will have harmful impacts on the environment. A lower federal court tossed out the lawsuit due to a lack of standing, a ruling the Justice Department asked the panel to uphold.

“This case is another climate change case with sprawling and speculative legal theories and claims,” DOJ lawyer John K. Adams told the panel.

Trump has enacted several executive orders