Climate Change and the Judiciary

The current state of America’s judiciary represents a major threat to pro-environmental efforts. In recent years, due in large part to former President Donald Trump’s judicial appointees, far-right legal theories have flourished and extremist judges are bolstering efforts to dismantle and block environmental protections. Furthermore, the courts are stacked with individuals who gained their legal expertise working on behalf of corporations, far too often to the detriment of the environment. Ordinary people—particularly communities of color—are bearing the brunt of these combined harms.

To address this state of affairs, it is essential to rebalance the U.S. judiciary. To start, federal lawmakers must prioritize the confirmation of judges with demonstrated legal experience in advancing climate protections and representing the interests of communities harmed by climate change.

Join the Center for American Progress for an important discussion on the current state of climate-related litigation in the federal courts and what is needed to safeguard new environmental protections moving forward.

Thursday, October 07, 2021 - 12:00 pm (U.S./Eastern)