Montana, known for its wilderness, is the site of a first-ever climate trial brought by young people suing the state for violating their rights to a healthy environment
Young climate activists came to court as one of the first climate change trials kicked off yesterday, where 16 young people seek to hold the government accountable for its fossil fuel-friendly policies that have dimmed their future.
They claim that Montana’s policies are causing environmental degradation upsetting cultural customs and have violated their right to a “clean and healthful environment,” depriving them of their future.
The group of Gen Z plaintiffs, whose ages range from 5 to 22, sued the federal government in March 2020, claiming that the government’s inaction on climate change violates their constitutional right to a clean and safe environment.
The plaintiffs’ group filed one lawsuit in each of the 50 states, but most of them were dismissed before reaching a trial.
On the first day of the trial, participants in the constitutional convention testified emphasizing the value of environmental protection. One of the plaintiffs, 22-year-old Rikki Held, testified about the threats her family’s 3000-acre ranch has faced due to droughts, wildfires and extreme weather.
The trial marks the first time a youth climate case has reached open court in the US, drawing attention to the growing youth-led climate activism movement.