"Courts May Beat Congress, U.N. to Punch on Greenhouse Gases"

"A definitive step toward providing legal remedies for the effects of climate change could occur before either an international treaty or legislative accord can be reached, according to attorneys tracking the issue in the courts.

'My prediction is that there will be more judicial action before there's enacted federal legislation or international agreement. That's a fair bet,' said James May, a law professor at Widener University in Delaware. 'In the absence of federal legislation and an international accord, these cases are the leading beacons for remedying the effects of climate change.'

In September, a federal appeals court in New York issued a historic ruling regarding citizen and government enforcement of greenhouse gas emissions. Less than a month later, decisions in two similar cases came down. All three are awaiting appeal."

Jennifer Koons reports for Greenwire Dec. 17, 2009.