"Children's Climate Lawsuit Against U.S. Adds Trump as Defendant"

"Landmark suit against the U.S. government replaces Barack Obama as defendant with President Trump, argues that climate action is a constitutional right."

"A lawsuit filed by 21 kids challenging the federal government to slow climate change was updated on Thursday to list President Donald Trump as a defendant, replacing former President Barack Obama.

In the lawsuit, originally filed in September 2015, the young plaintiffs have accused the federal government of violating their constitutional rights by knowing about the dangerous climate impacts of burning fossil fuels and supporting the development of fossil fuel production anyway.

The federal government under the Obama administration, along with fossil fuel companies, requested dismissal of the case, but a federal district court judge in Oregon ruled last fall that the case could proceed. Now, Juliana v. United States could go to trial as early as this year, possibly proving to be a check against the Trump administration's pro-fossil fuel agenda."

Zahra Hirji reports for InsideClimate News February 9, 2017.