Montana judge sides with youth activists in landmark climate change case

A Montana judge has sided with youth activists who argued that state agencies’ use of fossil fuels and its impact on the environment violated their constitutional rights. 

District Court Judge Kathy Seeley found the state’s policy used to evaluate requests for fossil fuel permits is unconstitutional because it does not force agencies to evaluate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. 

Judge Seeley wrote that "Montana's emissions and climate change have been proven to be a substantial factor in causing climate impacts to Montana's environment and harm and injury" to the youth.