Stopping fossil fuel extraction is essential to avoid climate chaos, and assure a good quality future for all of us.
Luckily, brave people all around the world are fighting the expansion of fossil fuel extraction.
Here is one example of these Defenders of Mother Earth:
21 very brave children and young Americans sued USA government last August 2015, alleging that approval of fossil fuel development has violated the fundamental right of citizens to be free from government actions that harm life, liberty and property. On April 8th 2016, they celebrated their victory, after U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin of the federal District Court in Eugene, OR, decided in favor of 21 young Plaintiffs, and Dr. James Hansen, famed Climatologist and also a plaintiff in this case.
This case is the culmination of a series of lawsuits brought in all 50 states of America since 2011 by various groups of students, and advocated by the Oregon-based nonprofit Our Children’s Trust, in both domestic and international courts, being more successful than anyone expected. Other groups supporting these suits include the Earth Guardians, Western Environmental Law Center, Plant-for-the-Planet, and Climate Change for Families.
Their argument is that the federal government is infringing on the constitutional rights of America’s youth and future generations by continuing to allow fossil fuel extraction and consumption, which will be causing dangerous climate change impacts that young people will suffer far more than today’s policymakers.
“Plaintiffs are suing the United States����� because the government has known for decades that carbon dioxide (C02) pollution has been causing catastrophic climate change and has failed to take necessary action to curtail fossil fuel emissions.”
This empowered and brave youngsters have already had some success with their suits across USA, including one case in Washington state, and now their victory in their landmark constitutional climate change case against the federal government.
They’ve also being involved as allies with Greenpeace opposing Shell’s ill-fated attempt to drill in the Arctic.
Meet the 21 plaintiffs and check out their inspiring stories:
In August 2015, Our Children’s Trust helped twenty-one kids, aged 8 to 19, file a lawsuit against the Obama Administration. Their argument: the fact that the president and a slew of federal agencies have authorized the extraction of fossil fuels, despite the agencies’ knowledge of climate science, violates the kids��� Constitutional rights. The EPA did not comment on specifics of the lawsuit but said in a statement that President Barack Obama and the agency have been taking action to “give our kids and grandkids the cleaner, safer future they deserve.���
Aji Piper, 15, a Seattle high school sophomore, is a plaintiff in that case and the one in Washington state.“The government isn’t doing the best to assure that we have the best quality of life,” he said. “It holds more urgency for us. Our future is at hand.”
In January 2016, defendant status in this case was granted to three fossil fuel industry trade associations, representing nearly all of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies, who called the case “a direct, substantial threat to our businesses.”
“This decision is one of the most significant in our nation’s history,” plaintiff’s’ attorney Philip Gregory said. ���The court upheld our claims that the federal government intensified the danger to our plaintiffs’ lives, liberty and property. Judge Coffin decided our complaint will move forward and put climate science squarely in front of the federal courts. The next step is for the court to order our government to cease jeopardizing the climate system for present and future generations. The court gave America’s youth a fair opportunity to be heard.”
As part of Friday’s historic decision, Judge Coffin characterized the case as an “unprecedented lawsuit” addressing ���government action and inaction” resulting “in carbon pollution of the atmosphere, climate destabilization and ocean acidification.” The next step in this case is a review of Judge Coffin’s decision by Judge Ann Aiken, another judge in the same Federal Court Read More
Read the Court’s Order
April 8th, 2106- U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin of the Federal District Court in Eugene, Oregon,decided in favor of 21 young plaintiffs in their landmark constitutional climate change case against the federal government. Judge Coffin ruled Friday against the motion to dismiss brought by the fossil fuel industry and federal government.
The court’s ruling is a major victory for the 21 youth plaintiffs, ages 8-19, from across the U.S. in what Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein call the “most important lawsuit on the planet right now.”
These plaintiffs sued the federal government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property, and their right to essential public trust resources, by permitting, encouraging and otherwise enabling continued exploitation, production and combustion of fossil fuels.
Download the Defenders of Mother Earth case studies:
- Young Americans suing US Government over Climate Change, Eugene, OR, US.
Thank You Defenders!
People around the world are supporting in many ways to this global Fossil Fuels Resistance movements!
And here is a very good way to not only support them but to share their fights! Let’s tell the world to #KeepItInTheGround
Join the Climate Strike‘s #ThankYou campaign!
And say Thank You in very own and creative way to the people that are risking their lives to save our future.
Tell the Youth Plaintiffs how grateful you are!
Send your #ThankYou messages, Pictures and videos to : [email protected]
And don’t forget to share:
