Youth-Led Climate Lawsuit Achieves Historic Victory in Montana Court

A Montana state court issued a groundbreaking decision on Monday. The ruling favored a group of young individuals who contended that the state had infringed upon their entitlement to a "clean and healthful environment" by endorsing fossil fuel utilization.

Winning Climate Lawsuit

In a groundbreaking verdict, Electrek reported that the climate lawsuit driven by young activists secured a historic win. The Montana court's ruling mandated that the state factor in climate change and environmental safeguards while evaluating new energy projects seeking approval.

This marks the initial instance of a youth-led climate lawsuit attaining such a remarkable achievement in the United States, potentially establishing a pivotal example for analogous cases throughout the nation. The lawsuit, recognized as Held v. Montana, was initiated by 16 plaintiffs aged between 5 and 22.

After careful deliberation, the court concluded that a specific clause within the Montana Environmental Policy Act had caused significant harm to the state's environment and the young plaintiffs.

This provision had previously prohibited Montana from factoring in the climate consequences of energy projects. As a result, the court determined that this provision violates the Constitution.

The plaintiffs received support from Our Children's Trust, a legal organization that advocates for youth-driven climate lawsuits nationwide. Julia Olson, the executive director of Our Children's Trust, the organization that initiated the case, expressed her elation.

She said: "This is a huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy and for our climate. More rulings like this will certainly come."

Described as one of the most impactful climate-related judgments ever issued by a court, The Washington Post reported that this resounding triumph is anticipated to invigorate the environmental movement, potentially leading to a surge of legal actions aimed at driving meaningful climate change initiatives, according to experts.

By nullifying the provision that obstructed the consideration of climate factors, this ruling serves as an extraordinary achievement for climate advocates. It also stands out as a rare accomplishment for those striving to use the legal system to counter government policies and industrial practices contributing to environmental degradation.

In this particular instance, the case involved a group of 16 young Montanans who initiated the nation's inaugural constitutional and youth-led climate lawsuit that proceeded to trial. Our Children's Trust has conveyed that these young plaintiffs are overjoyed with the verdict.

First Time in US Government

This is the first time a US court has ruled against a government for harming a constitutional right due to climate change, as Harvard Law School Professor Richard Lazarus stated.

Even though this decision is from a state court and based on a state constitution, not the US Constitution, Associated Press reported that Lazarus believes it's a big win for those concerned about climate change.