Here Ye, Here Ye…
This court is adjourned! In 2025, the conversation around climate change in the United States became a high-stakes "tug-of-war." On one side, the administration of President Donald Trump worked quickly to undo environmental rules to help the fossil fuel industry. On the other side, environmental groups, student activists, and several states used the court system to push back. While the administration was successful in some areas, the courts served as a "referee," ensuring that the government still followed the law. Here are the major positive rulings and legal wins for climate change and the environment that happened last year.
1. Transparency and the Secret Climate Group
One of the biggest wins for climate science happened in December 2025. A federal court in Massachusetts ruled that the administration had to release secret records from a group called the Climate Working Group. This group had been created behind closed doors to write a report that attacked the scientific basis for climate regulations. Under a law called the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the government is supposed to be open and honest when they get advice from committees. The judge ruled that the administration broke this law by keeping the group a secret. This was a win because it showed that the government cannot simply ignore science or hide its work from the public. Win #1!
2. Protecting the Oceans and Marine Life
In Hawaii, a federal court delivered a major victory for the ocean in August 2025. The administration had tried to open the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument—a massive area of protected water—to commercial fishing. Environmental groups sued, arguing that the administration didn’t follow the proper legal steps to change the monument’s protections. The court agreed and blocked the plan, keeping the commercial fishing ban in place. This ruling helped protect over 400,000 square miles of ocean, which is vital for maintaining healthy ecosystems that help the planet deal with a warming climate.
3. Stopping "Money Freezes" for Clean Energy
When a president takes office, they sometimes try to stop money that Congress has already promised to give to certain programs. In 2025, the administration tried to cancel or "pause" millions of dollars in grants for climate research and clean energy projects. Judges in states like Washington and California stepped in. In Seattle, a judge blocked the government from canceling $9 million in funding for climate resilience (projects that help communities prepare for floods and wildfires). The judge warned that a president cannot just unplug a project that is already halfway done because it creates unnecessary chaos.
4. Keeping Fossil Fuel Companies Accountable
The administration also tried to protect oil companies from being sued by states. In 2025, the federal government sued states like New York, Michigan, and Hawaii to stop them from passing Climate Superfund laws. These laws would make oil companies pay for the damage caused by the pollution they created.
However, the courts didn't give the administration an easy win. In several cases, judges allowed states to keep moving forward with their lawsuits or refused to move the cases to federal courts where the administration might have more influence. By keeping these cases alive, the courts ensured that the legal "door" stayed open for holding big polluters responsible…
5. A Huge Global "Nudge" from the ICJ
While not a U.S. court ruling, a massive decision came from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July 2025 that affected American policy. The ICJ issued a "landmark advisory opinion" stating that under international law, governments can be held legally responsible if they fail to stop climate change. This ruling doesn't force the U.S. to change its laws immediately, but it acts like a global "report card." It gave American lawyers and activists a new tool to argue that the U.S. government has a legal duty to protect future generations.
Why do these rulings matter? These legal battles might seem like boring paperwork, but they are actually the guardrails of our democracy. They show that even the most powerful person in the country has to follow the rules set by Congress and the Constitution.
In 2025, the courts proved that:
Science matters and you can't make secret reports to ignore facts.
The environment is protected by law and you can't just open protected lands or oceans without a legal reason.
Fairness: If the government promises money for a project, they have to keep that promise.
These rulings didn't stop all of the administration's plans, but they provided hope for those who want to see the planet protected. Let’s all do our part to spread awareness for future generations!