Montana Supreme Court sides with youth plaintiffs in landmark climate lawsuit

by Amanda Eggert

Montana Free Press

The Montana Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling in a precedent-setting constitutional climate lawsuit brought by 16 young Montanans.

READ THE OPINION at https://montanafreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Opinion-Published-1.pdf .

In the 48-page opinion issued Wednesday, the court ruled that the “clean and healthful environment” enshrined in the Montana Constitution includes the right to a “stable climate system” and that Rikki Held and her 15 co-plaintiffs have demonstrated “a sufficient personal stake” in that right.

Writing for the five-ju...