A U.S. judge has dismissed a class action lawsuit filed by children against the U.S. government over what they deemed a failure to combat pollution. This complaint, which targeted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is the latest in a series of legal actions taken by young individuals concerned about the global impacts of climate change.
The plaintiffs, aged between 8 and 17, accused the EPA of "deliberately allowing potentially deadly climate pollution from greenhouse sources it regulates, harming children's health and well-being." They claimed that the U.S. government violated their constitutional right to equal protection under the law, as well as their fundamental right to life.
However, federal judge Michael Fitzgerald ruled in Los Angeles that the plaintiffs had not substantiated their claims. He stated that the plaintiffs alleged "injuries extending a lifetime of hardship and distress," but they "failed to clarify how a declaration regarding the plaintiffs’ rights under the Constitution and the legality of the defendants' conduct would in itself address these alleged harms."
A nonprofit organization criticized the decision, calling it "unjust" and "dangerous." Matt Dos Santos, a director at Our Children’s Trust, which supports the young plaintiffs, remarked that "this ruling tells children that judges do not have the authority to listen to their complaints," adding that Our Children’s Trust would appeal the decision.
Across the Atlantic, the European Court of Human Rights began hearing a complaint in September filed by six Portuguese youths against 32 countries, accusing them of failing to take adequate action to curb global warming.
Additionally, last August, a court in Montana ruled in favor of a group of young individuals who accused the state of violating their right to live in a pollution-free environment. Our Children’s Trust has also initiated similar proceedings in the states of Hawaii, Utah, Virginia, and Oregon.
