Big Oil Lines Up Against Kids Waging Legal Battle for Climate Future

Representatives of nearly the entire U.S. fossil fuels industry lined up on Thursday to help the federal government wage a legal battle against a group of young people—aged 8 to 19—who are demanding climate policies that respect the rights of current and future generations.

The 21 young plaintiffs filed a landmark lawsuit against the federal government in August, in which they charged that, by permitting the ongoing extraction and burning of fossil fuels at an astronomical pace, the administration of President Barack Obama is violating the constitutional rights of current and future generations—and failing to protect the public trust.

Now, some of the biggest fossil fuels companies in the world want to fight these young people's efforts.