The US's first-ever trial in a constitutional climate lawsuit began on Monday in Montana, with 16 young plaintiffs alleging that state officials violated their constitutional right to a healthy environment by enacting pro-fossil fuel policies. The plaintiffs, aged between five and 22, testified about the impact of climate change on their health and wellbeing, including asthma, deteriorating fish stocks, and threatened cultural practices. Montana argued that its emissions were too small to make a difference, but the plaintiffs argued that the state was responsible for more planet-heating pollution than some countries.
A lawsuit going to trial in Montana will determine whether a constitutional right to a healthy, livable climate is protected by state law. The case, brought by 16 young plaintiffs, is the first of its kind in the US and seeks to establish a government duty to protect citizens from climate change. The plaintiffs, ranging in age from 5 to 22, will detail how climate change has harmed their physical and mental health. The trial comes after the state’s Republican-dominated Legislature passed measures favoring the fossil fuel industry. A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs could have ripple effects in other states.
A lawsuit going to trial in Montana will determine whether a constitutional right to a healthy, livable climate is protected by state law. The case, brought by 16 young plaintiffs and their attorneys, is the first of its kind in the US and could set an important legal precedent. The plaintiffs, ranging in age from 5 to 22, hope to highlight how young people are harmed by climate change now and will be further affected in the future. The trial comes shortly after the state’s Republican-dominated Legislature passed measures favoring the fossil fuel industry.
A Montana judge has ruled that a climate change lawsuit brought by 16 young plaintiffs challenging the state's pro-fossil fuel policies will proceed to trial, making it the first of its kind in the US. The trial is set to start on June 12 and will highlight the dangers of fossil fuel emissions that scientists say are making climate change worse. The lawsuit documents how the consequences of climate change are already being felt by the young plaintiffs, with smoke from worsening wildfires choking the air they breathe and drought drying rivers that sustain agriculture, fish, and wildlife.
