WASHINGTON: The first ever constitutional climate trial in the United States opened Monday (Jun 12) in Montana, brought by young activists suing the north-central state for violating their right to a 'clean and healthful environment'. The case, Held versus Montana, is being closely watched as it could bols
WASHINGTON: The first ever constitutional climate trial in the United States opened Monday in Montana, brought by young activists suing the north-central state for violating their right to a"clean and healthful environment".
Lead plaintiff Rikki Held, whose family run a ranch in Montana, told the court in at times emotional testimony that their livelihoods and wellbeing had been increasingly impacted by wildfires, extreme temperatures and drought. The plaintiffs are not seeking financial compensation, but rather a declaration that their rights are being violated.Specifically, they are challenging the constitutionality of a provision in the Montana Environmental Policy Act , which prohibits government agencies from considering climate impacts when reviewing permitting applications from fossil fuel interests.Also read:In his opening statement, advocate Roger Sullivan evoked the multiplying impacts of global warming on the state's youth.
The plaintiffs felt a sense of"betrayal", said Sullivan, with some expressing reluctance to have their own children because they fear the world they would grow up in. "Climate change is a global issue that effectively relegates Montana's role to that of a spectator," he added. Starting from first principles of the greenhouse effect, he worked his way to specific impacts on Montana, including shorter winters extending wildfire season, and causing formerly camouflaged snowshoe hares to stand out in their increasingly snow-free surroundings.
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