Montana’s legal concession this week (August 2023) to young climate activists marks a pivotal moment in the global legal landscape.
They argued that the state’s energy policy (which they claimed favored the fossil fuel industry) hindered the consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in the approval process for new factories and power plants.
The Post described this landmark case as “the nation’s first constitutional and first youth-led climate lawsuit to go to trial.”
To climate activists, it illustrates the power of a court hearing directly from young people describing experiences with immense loss caused by climate change. Today’s order followed five days of emotional testimony from young plaintiffs describing harms caused by the state’s climate inaction.
This landmark decision amplifies the potential for legal action to drive climate accountability on a broader scale, reshaping the discourse on environmental protection.
Don’t take my word for it…
Read about it yourself on Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/08/montana-loses-fight-against-youth-climate-activists-in-landmark-ruling/