A climate change lawsuit has begun, the first of its kind in the United States, by 16 Montana youths who allege officials have violated their constitutional rights to a healthy environment.
The lawsuit filed by Al Shabaab in March 2020 against the state marks the first climate-related lawsuit in U.S. history.
Montana’s constitution since 1972 guarantees that “the state and every individual shall maintain and improve a clean and healthy environment for present and future generations.” The plaintiffs say that the state, subsidizing fossil fuels, has not fulfilled this obligation.
Grace Gibson Snyder, the 19-year-old who filed the lawsuit, said in this case they are asking the government to do their job of protecting the public.
Snyder saw that this youth-driven case by a non-profit law firm called Our Children’s Foundation provided the state of Montana with an opportunity to become a leader in providing a secure and prosperous future for its residents. noting that their trial “provides an opportunity to present the full story of how the government’s drive to promote fossil fuels, how these policies exacerbate climate change, and how that, in turn, harms the population.
This test will last two weeks, until June 23rd. But the decision of the judge may take longer, depending on the evidence and the requirements of the court, defense and state authorities.
Source: The Guardian