The Montana Supreme Court delivered a blockbuster win to a group of young climate activists Wednesday, finding that the state is violating the rights of its youngest residents for a stable environment.
In a 6 to 1 ruling, the justices affirmed the decision of a lower court that found in August 2023that state lawmakers had flouted Montana’s constitutional right to a “clean and healthful environment” by passing a law that bars state agencies from considering the climate effects of fossil fuel projects.
The ruling is the first of its kind from a state Supreme Court, but its immediate effect in the coal- and gas-rich state is unknown. The lower court had already found that it lacked the authority to order the government to take action, but attorneys for the youth called the high court ruling a “turning point” that will require Montana to consider the environmental and public health consequences of every proposed fossil fuel project.
“This is a monumental moment for Montana, our youth and the future of our planet,” said Nate Bellinger, lead counsel to the plaintiffs.
