ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A federal appeals court has ruled against the northwest Alaska village of Kivalina, which sued energy companies over claims that greenhouse emissions contributed to global warming that is threatening the community's existence.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a U.S. District Court ruling that Kivalina didn't have standing to sue oil, coal and power companies.
The eroding village sought monetary damages to help with the estimated $400 million to relocate.
The village's attorney didn't return a message. A spokesman for Exxon Mobil, one of the defendants, welcomed the decision and said it speaks for itself.
Judge Sidney Thomas noted the court's conclusion doesn't help Kivalina, which is being "displaced by the rising sea." Thomas added a solution to Kivalina's dire problems must rest with the legislative branches.