A devastating play-by-play account of the federal government's leading role in bringing about
today's climate crisis. In 2015 a group of twenty-one young people sued the federal government
for violating their constitutional rights by promoting the climate catastrophe depriving them
of life liberty and property without due process of law. They Knew offers evidence for their
claims presenting a devastating play-by-play account of the federal government's role in
bringing about today's climate crisis. James Speth tapped by the plaintiffs as an expert on
climate documents how administrations from Carter to Trump--despite having information about
climate change and the connection to fossil fuels--continued aggressive support of a fossil
fuel based energy system. What did the federal government know and when did it know it? Speth
asks echoing another famous cover up. What did the federal government do and what did it not
do? They Knew (an updated version of the Expert Report Speth prepared for the lawsuit) presents
the most compelling indictment yet of the government's role in the climate crisis showing a
forty-year failure to take action. Since Juliana v. United States was filed the federal
government has repeatedly delayed the case. Yet even in legal limbo it has helped inspire a
generation of youthful climate activists. An Our Children's Trust Book
