Posted on Jun 12, 2023
In a first, a climate lawsuit from young people is going to trial
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Sixteen young people who say the state isn’t doing enough to address climate change will get their day in court Monday. The lawsuit argues that lack of action violates plaintiffs’ rights under the state Constitution. This is the first youth climate lawsuit to ever make it all the way to trial in the U.S.
Badge Busse is a 15-year-old high school student who lives in Kalispell. He and his older brother have grown up hunting and fishing in the mountains surrounding their home.
“It's hard to watch the things that I love, like, get depleted slowly, like fishing with my dad,” Busse said. “It's like, my main way to hang out with him and my brother.”
Increasingly hot temperatures have eroded fishing opportunities statewide as angling closures during the hottest part of the day have become more common. The state Constitution, written in 1972, explicitly says citizens have the right to “a clean and healthful environment.”
Badge Busse is a 15-year-old high school student who lives in Kalispell. He and his older brother have grown up hunting and fishing in the mountains surrounding their home.
“It's hard to watch the things that I love, like, get depleted slowly, like fishing with my dad,” Busse said. “It's like, my main way to hang out with him and my brother.”
Increasingly hot temperatures have eroded fishing opportunities statewide as angling closures during the hottest part of the day have become more common. The state Constitution, written in 1972, explicitly says citizens have the right to “a clean and healthful environment.”
In a first, a climate lawsuit from young people is going to trial
Posted from mtpr.org
State of Montana
Climate Change
Environment
Lawsuit
Children
Posted 11 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good to see youth getting involved with something that matters not only to them but far more.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The outcome of this landmark case could impact other children’s climate litigation going forward in state and federal courts.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Oregon said she’ll hear an amended version of a similar federal lawsuit that was previously thrown out. That suit was filed in 2015 by a group of 21 kids from around the country.
Plaintiffs Badge and his brother Lander say it’s surreal to finally be taking the stand.
“Everyone should have a place for this case in their heart, every Montanan,” Badge says. “This is way bigger than I thought it would be going into it with Lander.”
Lander says, “We're doing this first and foremost for the people of Montana who cherish and share this land and use it the same ways that we do and respect it the same way we do.”
The Montana trial starts Monday in Helena and is scheduled to last two weeks."
..."The outcome of this landmark case could impact other children’s climate litigation going forward in state and federal courts.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Oregon said she’ll hear an amended version of a similar federal lawsuit that was previously thrown out. That suit was filed in 2015 by a group of 21 kids from around the country.
Plaintiffs Badge and his brother Lander say it’s surreal to finally be taking the stand.
“Everyone should have a place for this case in their heart, every Montanan,” Badge says. “This is way bigger than I thought it would be going into it with Lander.”
Lander says, “We're doing this first and foremost for the people of Montana who cherish and share this land and use it the same ways that we do and respect it the same way we do.”
The Montana trial starts Monday in Helena and is scheduled to last two weeks."
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