Sixteen plaintiffs, aged five to twenty-two, had alleged the state of Montana’s pro-fossil fuel policies contributed to climate change and violated their right to a healthy environment because of fossil fuel development and won.
![person holding fight today for a better tomorrow sign](https://www.thefuturescentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/iravvywzfzy-1280x500.jpg)
So what?
Citizens are leveraging human rights to testify that the states’ policies violated provisions in the state constitution that guarantee a “clean and healthful environment”, among other constitutional protections.
A recent case at the European Court of Human Rights:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68768598