Landmark youth-led climate trial begins in Montana

IN A FIRST OF ITS KIND TRIAL – A CLIMATE ACTION CASE HAS MADE ITS WAY TO A STATE COURT IN THE U.S. AND IT’S BEING LED BY A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN MONTANA

THE GROUP AGED 5 TO 22 IS ARGUING FOR THEIR RIGHT TO A CLEAN AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AS GUARANTEED BY THE STATE’S CONSTITUTION –

WITH MONTANA BEING A MAJOR COAL EXPORTER – ENVIRONMENTALISTS WANT TO CONVINCE THE DISTRICT JUDGE THAT THE STATE’S SUPPORT FOR FOSSIL FUELS ENDANGERS THEIR HEALTH, LIVELIHOODS AND THREATENS FUTURE GENERATIONS

THIS IS A STORY WE’RE COVERING IN PART BECAUSE IT WAS FLAGGED AS A MEDIA MISS BY THE RIGHT – MEANING NEWS OUTLETS THAT LEAN CONSERVATIVE ARE UNDERREPORTING IT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON OUR MEDIA MISS TOOL – THE STORY IS GETTING MOST OF ITS COVERAGE ON LEFT AND CENTER ORIENTED NEWS OUTLETS – GIVEN THAT SUCH A CASE COULD VERY WELL HAVE LASTING IMPLICATIONS WE’RE CHOOSING TO COVER IT SO YOU GET ACCESS TO THE NARRATIVES ONE SIDE MAY NEGLECT… HEAD TO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. COM AND USE OUR MEDIA MISS TOOL FOR YOURSELF

A LAWYER REPRESENTING THE STATE IS MAKING THE CASE THAT MONTANA PRODUCES MINUSCULE EMISSIONS WITH ITS POPULATION OF JUST OVER A MILLION PEOPLE 

QUOTE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL ISSUE THAT EFFECTIVELY RELEGATES MONTANA’S ROLE TO THAT OF A SPECTATOR

MEANWHILE ONE OF THE TEENS FIGHTING THE STATE SAYS THE AIR QUALITY IS BECOMING SO UNHEALTHY THAT IT’S NOW A DEFINING EXPERIENCE 

QUOTE IT’S NOT PLEASANT. IT’S SO UNCOMFORTABLE AS YOU’RE BREATHING DEEPER AND DEEPER 

EXPERTS FOR THE STATE ARE EXPECTED TO COUNTER THAT CLIMATE EXTREMES HAVE EXISTED FOR CENTURIES, ACCORDING TO THE AP

REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME – ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE HAILING THE FACT THIS TRIAL IS EVEN HAPPENING AS A TURNING POINT GIVEN THAT SIMILAR SUITS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORTH IN OTHER STATES BUT ALL EVIDENTLY FAILED… AT LEAST IN THE U.S.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS *HAVE SEEN* VICTORIES IN PLACES LIKE THE NETHERLANDS WHICH RULED IN 2019 THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXPLICIT DUTIES TO PROTECT ITS PEOPLE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE 

MEANWHILE ACTIVISTS LIKE GRETA THUNBERG HAVE RISEN TO GLOBAL PROMINENCE – INSPIRING CLIMATE STRIKES IN OTHER PLACES ACROSS EUROPE – WHILE DRAWING CRITICISM FROM THOSE WHO SEE HER ACTIONS AS PERFORMATIVE AND EXTREME

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ICO2 LEVELS IN THE AIR ARE THE HIGHEST THAT THEY’VE BEEN IN OVER 4 MILLION YEARS – AND WHILE THERE IS BROAD CONSENSUS HUMANS ARE TO BLAME – THERE’S A DISAGREEMENT ON WHETHER THESE CHANGES POSE AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT

APPROXIMATELY 57% OF US ADULTS THINK CLIMATE CHANGE IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM – WHILE ABOUT 20 PERCENT SAY IT’S NOT ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH

EVIDENTLY YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE MORE CONCERNED WHICH COULD BE A PREDICTOR FOR WHETHER MORE CASES LIKE THE ONE HAPPENING IN MONTANA WILL PLAY OUT IN THE YEARS TO COME

THAT TRIAL OPENED ON JUNE 12TH AND IS SCHEDULED TO LAST TWO WEEKS – TO FOLLOW OUR LATEST UPDATES YOU CAN HEAD TO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS . COM