16 months ago, these young people sued the state of Montana and won. A judge ruled that the state’s greenhouse gas emissions are “a substantial factor in causing climate impacts to Montana’s environment, and harm and injury to the youth plaintiffs.” The judge rolled back two Montana laws that prevent the state from considering climate impacts when deciding whether to approve permits for energy and mining projects.

The state of Montana appealed the decision.

But today the Montana Supreme Court upheld the judge's ruling! It affirmed that the youth plaintiffs have a “fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment”. And it said:

"Plaintiffs showed at trial—without dispute—that climate change is harming Montana’s environmental life support system now and with increasing severity for the foreseeable future."

The battle is far from done. It will probably go to the Supreme Court, packed with judges appointed by Trump. But this is a sign: as the climate crisis worsens, more and more of us will fight to make governments treat it as the calamity that it is.

Think of the world these kids will face.

More details here:

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/12/18/montana-supreme-court-affirms-decision-in-held-historic-youth-climate-case/