Montana calls UN climate report “hearsay” at landmark youth-led climate trial
Enlarge / Glacier National Park, Montana. (credit: Evgeny Vasenev | Cavan)
Yesterday, a landmark climate trial kicked off in Montana, with 16 young residents demanding that the state be ordered to do more to protect residents' constitutional rights by reducing emissions and tossing out state policies promoting the fossil fuels industry.
The trial comes shortly after the state legislature passed a new law that "explicitly prohibits" greenhouse gas emissions and climate effects to be considered in state agencies' environmental impact reviews, The Wall Street Journal reported. Critics argue that means that new power plants or factories can be developed in Montana without considering climate impacts.
A victory for the young plaintiffs could potentially set important legal precedent for how courts can hold states accountable for climate inaction. The trial will take place over the next two weeks, ending on June 23. It will soon be followed by similar challenges by young people in other states, including Oregon and Hawaii.