Montana youth win 'monumental' climate decision


A state judge in Montana's Lewis and Clark County on Monday ruled in favor of a group of teens and young adults who had alleged the state's fossil fuel–based energy system and provisions in its Environmental Policy Act violated their constitutional rights by contributing to the climate change they will experience as they grow older.
Over the course of her more than 100-page ruling, District Judge Kathy Seeley determined that not only were emissions from the state's various fossil fuels a direct contributor to climate change, but that laws prohibiting the state from considering those emissions when evaluating new energy projects violated the group's "fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment." Monday's ruling was a "huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy and for our climate" said Julia Olson, who heads the Our Children's Trust environmental group that brought the suit on behalf of the 16 plaintiffs, who ranged in age from 5 to 22.
"I know that climate change is a global issue, but Montana has to take responsibility for our part in that," lead plaintiff Rikki Held said during the trial, highlighting what had become one of the major points of contention during the case: whether Montana's discrete emissions were significant enough to affect worldwide climate change. Attorneys for the state had argued that the global nature of climate change had essentially relegated Montana's role to "that of a spectator." In her ruling, Seeley disagreed, concluding that not only had the state's greenhouse gas emissions been directly linked to the limiting provisions in Montana's Environmental Policy Act, but that those emissions were "proven to be a substantial factor" in the effects of climate change felt locally by the plaintiffs.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Phil Gregory, an attorney who represented the youth plaintiffs, called Monday's ruling a "monumental decision" and said he hoped it would help energize future youth lawsuits against the contributing factors of climate change.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling