<
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a44851832/montana-youth-climate-ruling/>
"It’s
almost too good to believe: In the existential battle against climate
change and fossil fuel interests, young people scored a massive win in Montana
this week. A judge ruled that the state violated their constitutional right to
a “clean and healthful environment” in a first-of-its-kind decision.
The 16 youth plaintiffs in
Held v. Montana, ages all the way from 5 to 22,
were supported by Montana’s state constitution, which explicitly guarantees
that right “for present and future generations.” And with her historic decision
Monday, district court Judge Kathy Seeley declared that a provision of the
recent Montana Environmental Policy Act, which blocked the state from even
considering greenhouse gas emissions when approving new energy projects, is
unconstitutional.
The ruling heralded a major victory for climate activists everywhere. Similar
youth-led cases in the U.S. have not fared quite as well: At least 14 others
have been dismissed without a trial. Judge Seely’s broad decision may mark a
powerful precedent for other challenges being brought forth by young people who
say the government has failed to protect them (although the state of Montana
has signaled it will appeal the ruling). Our Children’s Trust, the legal
nonprofit representing the plaintiffs, is currently working on four other
state-level cases, as well as a federal case against the U.S. government,
Juliana v. United States, that has been cleared to go to trial.
“The ruling clearly recognizes that governments must use the best available
science to protect human rights,” said Mat dos Santos, general counsel and
managing attorney at Our Children’s Trust. “We anticipate that courts around
the country and the globe will be reading this opinion closely as many other
states and countries consider the question of whether governments can be held
accountable for their contribution to the ongoing climate crisis.”"
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/good-news-school-meals-transit-us-ecuador-conservation/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
