Montana’s supreme court upholds right to ‘stable climate system’ for youth

Landmark decision by trial court came in climate lawsuit won by 16 young plaintiffs

Montana’s top court on Wednesday held the state’s constitution guaranteed a right to a stable climate system and invalidated a law barring regulators from considering the effects of greenhouse gas emissions when permitting new fossil fuel projects.

The Montana supreme court upheld a landmark trial court decision last August in favor of 16 young people who said their health and futures were being jeopardized by climate change, which the state aggravates through its permitting of energy projects.