SEATTLE (AP) — Dozens of young people want a say in the planet’s future, so minors nationwide have been suing states and the federal government in recent years to push action on climate change.
They say their generation will bear the brunt of global warming and that government at every level has an obligation to protect natural resources, including the atmosphere, as a “public trust” for future generations.
In Seattle, eight young activists petitioned Washington state last year to adopt stricter science-based regulations to protect them against climate change. Oral arguments are scheduled Tuesday.
The Oregon-based nonprofit Our Children’s Trust has been leading efforts to file lawsuits or court petitions in every state and against the federal government. Some have been dismissed, while others are pending in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Oregon.
