On January 16, 2015 the media reported that 2014 was the warmest year on earth since 1880 when record keeping began. Five weeks earlier, on December 8, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a suit bought by seven youth plaintiffs. Their claim is that the U.S. Constitution safeguards for them and future generations a healthy climate system.
The case is part of Atmospheric Trust Litigation (ATL) based on the centuries old doctrine of Public Trust. Please see our blog of November 19th, 2013 (ATL and GPB) for a description of ATL and the amicus curiae brief the Grannies filed together with countless groups.
The ostrich-like posture of the Supreme Court is not deterring these youth. Working with Our Children’s Trust based in Eugene, Oregon and other organizations such as iMatter Youth, they are building a case for federal action through state courts with cases now pending in Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. Previous suits brought in six other states – Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Montana, Pennsylvania and Texas – provide valuable legal stepping stones.
The GPB recognizes the dire urgency of climate chaos and will continue to monitor OCT and we encourage you to visit their site. Our Children’s Trust is working “to secure science-based climate recovery policy nationally, and to return to the Supreme Court if necessary. We will expand our efforts to enforce individual states’ responsibilities to preserve the atmosphere for the benefit of future generations, and will advance select global and local efforts to do the same. Piecemeal legislative and executive actions not based on nature’s laws will simply never get us where we need to be. We need judicial declarations that government must act systemically to stabilize our climate.”
If you have family or friends in any of the states with current cases pending, give them the OCT website and SPREAD THE WORD!
SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, April 26 PEACE AND PLANET March and Mobilization in New York City. For specifics: www.peaceandplanet.org
– Nydia Leaf
for the Granny Peace Brigade
Granny Peace Brigade 