(CNN) A court has dismissed the first climate lawsuit to be brought against the German government.

For now, three German families have been thwarted in their attempt to sue Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration over its failure to meet climate protection targets, a spokesman for the administrative court in Berlin told CNN.

But they are still hopeful, Roda Verheyen, the plaintiffs' lawyer said.

"Even if we have lost the day, there are lots of statements that are very important in this judgement that will need to be recognized in policy and law," Verheyen told CNN, adding that they had been given the opportunity to appeal.

The judges said that, while climate inaction was potentially damaging to human rights, they were unable to determine to what extent or how quickly the government must act, Verheyen added.

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