08/15/2023

Judge Rules in Favor of Montana Youths in a Landmark Climate Case

The court found young people have a constitutional right to a healthful environment

A group of young people in Montana won a landmark lawsuit on Monday when a judge ruled that the state’s failure to consider climate change when approving fossil fuel projects was unconstitutional.

The decision in the suit, Held v. Montana, coming during a summer of record heat and deadly wildfires, marks a victory in the expanding fight against government support for oil, gas and coal, the burning of which has rapidly warmed the planet.

"As fires rage in the West, fueled by fossil fuel pollution, today's ruling in Montana is a game-changer that marks a turning point in this generation's efforts to save the planet from the devastating effects of human-caused climate chaos," said Julia Olson, the founder of Our Children's Trust, a legal nonprofit group that brought the case on behalf of the young people. "This is a huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy, and for our climate. More rulings like this will certainly come."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The New York Times.