Young people around the world are alarmed about extreme weather events and share concern for climate change. Many are raising awareness about global warming and urging industries to take positive steps to reduce carbon emissions.
Youths believe young people are disproportionately affected by climate change. As such, like-minded youths have taken drastic steps to hold governments accountable.
In the US, 16 youth plaintiffs from across the state of Montana joined forces to sue the government for violating their right to a clean and healthful environment.
They highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change for young people. Aged between five and 22, the plaintiffs said the state of Montana was violating their constitutional rights by permitting fossil fuel development without considering its effect on the climate, harming them both mentally and physically.
Monumental Case in Favor of Young People.
Rikki Held, an environmental science student, said climate change affects everyone, but young people are disproportionately affected.
She believes young people will be exposed longer to the negative effects of climate change. “Young people and future generations don’t have a say in a lot of decisions about climate, so that’s why we need to go through the courts and have the courts protect our human rights.”
The case was ruled in favor of the young plaintiffs. Judge Kathy Seeley, of the first judicial district court, highlighted that a stable climate is included in a right to a “clean and healthful environment”, guaranteed in the state’s constitution.
She put spotlight on Montana’s Environmental Policy Act – which prohibited state from considering climate impacts when permitting energy projects, to be unconstitutional. Experts believe this case has changed the climate litigation landscape.
Youths Take on European Governments for Climate Change.
A similar case was filed in Europe in the year 2020 against 27 EU member states, as well as Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Norway and Britain.
Six young people from Portugal sued the European countries for the wildfires and heat waves. They told the court that the respective governments failed to act fast on climate change, and this is a violation of their human rights.
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15-year-old Andre Oliveira said heat extremes limited her time outdoors. “I’m forced to stay inside, I struggle to sleep, and thanks to the weak climate policies of these governments, things are getting worse.”
Youths around the world, be it the US or Europe are taking action into their own hands to push the governments and world leaders to be accountable for the crisis that Earth is in – climate change.
