The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal in the landmark legal case Juliana v. United States. The lawsuit has inspired other successful cases by youth demanding the government take responsibility for the climate crisis. This is Mat dos Santos of the group Our Children’s Trust, which brought the case.

Mat dos Santos: “For nearly a decade, 21 young people fought to hold the U.S. government accountable for fueling the climate crisis in Juliana v. United States. Today, the Supreme Court refused to hear their case. And in a very rare move, the Department of Justice issued a statement calling the lawsuit a 'distraction.' That’s coming from the shock-and-awe administration actively dismantling environmental laws, the agency that enforced them, and our democracy. Juliana has spanned four presidents. This case isn’t political. It’s about fundamental rights, life, liberty and a livable future. That’s why young people are winning, from Montana to Hawaii. We’re not done. We’ll see the federal government back in court.”