March 1, 2019 – Today, the Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of a group of public health experts, public health organizations, and doctors in Juliana v. United States, the landmark climate case brought by a group of youths against the federal government.  The Juliana plaintiffs allege that the government, by supporting the burning of fossil fuels and otherwise contributing to climate change, is violating their constitutional rights to substantive due process and equal protection and that the government is violating the public trust doctrine by failing to protect the atmosphere from harm.  A district court judge ordered that the case could go to trial, but the government has appealed that decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Clinic’s brief explains that the generation of children and youth represented by the plaintiffs (the “Juliana Generation”) is already experiencing climate-related adverse health effects and that these effects will worsen over their lifetimes.  These harms arise from extreme weather events, increased heat stress, decreased air quality, altered disease patterns and increased climate-sensitive infections, and food, water and nutrient insecurity in vulnerable regions of the United States.  As the brief explains, the Juliana Generation will be harmed by climate change to a greater degree than any previous generation.  Cumulatively, these health impacts will cost the United States trillions of dollars per year by the end of the century.

The signatories of the brief include dozens of leading experts in public health and medicine as well as public health organizations representing thousands of health professionals.  For a full list of signatories, see the brief, which is available here: Amicus Brief, Kelsey Cascadia Rose Juliana v. United States of America (9th Cir. No. 18-36082).

Grant Glovin (JD ’20) wrote the brief under the supervision of Clinic Director Wendy Jacobs and Deputy Director Shaun Goho.