One of the most well-known youth climate activists, Greta Thunberg, first gained international attention by striking outside of Sweden’s parliament building instead of attending school in 2018. Her actions inspired students from all continents to participate in “Fridays for Future” and strike for political action on climate change. Today, over fourteen million students on every continent have participated in Fridays for Future.

Global stakeholders are also recognizing the importance of amplifying youth voices to combat climate change. Priyanka Shendage from Maharashtra, India was invited by UNICEF to develop a space for youth to connect with decision-makers about climate change. Priyanka then went on to establish Maha Youth for Climate Action (MYCA) in her home state, providing youth with access to climate-conscious training, resources, and work opportunities. 

It’s not breaking news that we’re facing a global climate crisis– air quality warnings throughout June in the U.S. due to Canadian wildfires are the latest example of consequences of our changing climate. While often referred to as a global issue, some groups will experience a bigger burden of climate-change-related consequences. One of these groups is the world’s youth. 

Today’s youth are burdened with growing up and living in a changing climate as a result of actions of earlier generations. Children today are expected to experience at least 3 times as many climate disasters as their grandparents, while contributing less to climate change and being most vulnerable to its consequences. While policymakers and industry leaders debate clean energy standards and plastic production, youth realize that their future is dependent on taking action against climate change now. Despite lacking direct industry or policymaking power, youth climate activists are finding ways to get their voices heard.

Youth climate activists frequently accomplish incredible achievements, but just this month in the U.S., a new milestone was reached. Climate activists in Montana used the U.S. judiciary system to attempt to prompt state leaders to transition to clean energy sources. For the first time ever, the U.S. saw a constitutional climate case move to trial. This historic moment gets even more incredible– the plaintiffs are sixteen youths, aged five to twenty-two. The Held v. State of Montana trial occurred from June 12th to June 20th 2023 in Helena, Montana, more than three years after the original complaint was filed in March 2020. 

The plaintiffs hope to persuade the court that Montana’s current energy policies and practices violate Montanan’s constitutional rights, which will hopefully encourage the Montana government to commit to a swift transition to clean energy and to stopping the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. 

The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas for electricity are responsible for more than 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions then trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, changing the Earth’s climate. In Montana, consequences of a changing climate are already happening in the form of hotter temperatures, increased incidence of extreme weather events, wildfires, and more. The plaintiffs advocate for an end to the use of fossil fuels and a transition to clean renewable energy that emits fewer greenhouse gasses to protect Montana’s environment. 

Montana is part of a unique group of three states that explicitly state the right to a clean environment in the state constitution. Article II of Montana’s constitution states that all persons have inalienable rights, including “the right to a clean and healthful environment…” Furthermore, Article IX of Montana’s constitution states that the state as well as the people “…shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.” The plaintiffs argued that the Montana state government is failing to maintain a clean environment by continuing to support the extraction and use of fossil fuels, therefore violating their constitutional rights.

The Montana youth plaintiffs are no strangers to the poor air quality that sent the northeastern and Midwest United States into a frenzy earlier this month– Rikki Held’s emotionally charged testimony described her experience with wildfires and poor air quality on her family’s ranch. Sariel Sandoval described how her tribal identity and indigenous relationships to land are harmed by climate change. Others testified about their experiences with flooding, mental and physical health problems, and loss of income and livelihood.

Experts called by the plaintiffs shared their knowledge about a wide range of climate-related topics, such as human health, government knowledge about the harms of fossil fuels, the role of fossil fuels and climate change, evidence of anthropogenic climate change, and the relationship between mental health and climate change. 

The defendants argued that given Montana’s small population, the state’s contribution to climate change are miniscule. The defendants described climate change as a global issue, and explained that if Montana were held accountable for its energy policies, there would be little change in the state of the environment because of emissions from other states and nations. saying that as a global issue, Montana’s contributions to climate change are miniscule. 

The outcome of the trial is expected to be announced in the coming months. Looking forward, the trial is likely to inspire other constitution-based climate cases, and sets precedent for similar cases to go to trial. In 2015, a twenty-one youth filed a constitution-based climate case against the federal government, but was prevented from going to trial. The case– Juliana v. United States–was granted a motion to amend their complaint earlier this month, preserving the opportunity to go to trial. Held v. Montana leaves a legacy of optimism for future cases like Juliana v. United States to go to trial and hold the government accountable for its role in climate change at the state and even federal level. If Judge Kathy Seeley declares the Montana government’s support of fossil fuel use unconstitutional, it would be a large step forward in holding governments accountable for their roles in climate change. 

Held v. Montana is a testament to the passion and power of youth, and sends a powerful message to those not actively fighting climate change: youth are serious about this issue, and you should be too. The sixteen plaintiffs inspire adults and youth alike to turn their fear and passion into action in the fight for a clean environment. 

10 Suggestions for Further Reading:

1. “Today’s kids will live through three times as many climate disasters as their grandparents, study says” By Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post
2. “Lessons from Maharashtra, India on Youth-Led Action towards Climate Advocacy and Policy” By Priyanka Shendage, UNICEF
3. “Historic Climate Trial: Held v. State of Montana”, Youth v. Gov
4. “Held v. State”, Climate Case Chart
5. “Montana Youth Sue State Over Climate Change Policies” By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes
6. “Causes and Effects of Climate Change”, United Nations
7. “Young climate activists take Montana to court for its role in global warming”, CBS News
8. “Indigenous Experiences Headline Third Day of Held v. Montana Trial” By Micah Drew, Flathead Beacon
9. “A historic youth climate trial is happening in Montana. Here’s what to know” By Ella Nilsen, CNN
10. “Juliana v. US”, Youth v. Gov