By: Leia Chen

On June 12th, a group of young people in Montana went on a trial, suing the state of Montana for allowing the use of fossil fuels that create climate issues, endangering the environment and people’s futures.

As the young people elaborated on how climate change has affected their daily lives, they brought climate experts to explain fossil fuels’ harm to the environment. The climate crisis is causing more droughts and wildfires in Montana, making it more difficult for people to live. The plaintiffs stated that natural disasters make it harder to access clean water and continue hunting and fishing, which are key ways of living for many.

The reason why such a matter could become a court case originates from a unique clause in Montana’s constitution in 1972, which stated that people have the right to a “clean and healthful environment”.

The government argues that people shouldn’t blame Montana for the climate crisis: after all, climate change is a global issue that cannot be resolved independently, thus they cannot do anything about the problem. One of the young men replied, “I know that climate change is a global issue, but Montana needs to take responsibility for our part of that,” as Montana is the fifth largest coal producer and the 12th largest oil producer in the United States.

On the state’s side, experts will also be brought and are expected to propose that human actions’ impact on climate change is not yet clear. The young people hope to have the judge adjudge that the use of fossil fuels violates the Montana constitution at the end of the trial.

This trial has attracted the attention of many other groups that wanted the state to take urgent action on current climate issues. The results of the case may encourage more people to take initiative in finding solutions to climate problems.