Attorneys for 16 young Alaskans who sued over state climate change policy are expected to argue their case before Alaska Supreme Court justices on Wednesday.
The lawsuit says state policy that promotes fossil fuels violates the constitutional right of young Alaskans to a safe climate.
The lawsuit says human-caused climate change will be catastrophic unless atmospheric carbon dioxide declines.
Among the damages it lists are increasing temperatures, changing rain and snow patterns, rising seas, storm-surge flooding, thawing permafrost, coast erosion and increased wildfires.
A judge ruled against the youths a year ago.
Anchorage Superior Court Judge Gregory Miller cited previous cases that concluded courts lack scientific, economic and technological resources that agencies can use to determine climate policy and it was best left in their hands.