Kids Win the Right to Sue the US Government Over Climate Change

["Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
> Date: November 17, 2016 at 5:07:18 AM EST
> To: Multiple recipients of Dewayne-Net <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
> Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Kids Win the Right to Sue the US Government Over Climate Change
> Reply-To: dewayne-net () warpspeed com
>
> Kids Win the Right to Sue the US Government Over Climate Change
> By Sarah Emerson
> Nov 11 2016
> http://motherboard.vice.com/read/kids-win-the-right-to-sue-the-us-government-over-climate-change
>
> A bright speck of climate news was quickly overshadowed by the presidential election this week—America’s children 
> have officially won the right to sue their government over global warming.
> Yesterday, a lawsuit filed by 21 youth plaintiffs was ruled valid by US District Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene, Oregon. A 
> group of citizens, whose ages range from nine to 20, charged President Obama, the fossil fuel industry, and other 
> federal agencies with violating their constitutional rights by declining to take action against climate change.
>
> “Federal courts too often have been cautious and overly deferential in the arena of environmental law, and the world 
> has suffered for it,” wrote Judge Aiken in her ruling.
>
> Along with renowned climate scientist James Hansen, who in 1988 pleaded with Congress to consider the harmful effects 
> of greenhouse gas emissions, the youth group was applauded by activists who saw their lawsuit as a much-needed beacon 
> of hope for future generations. In it, the plaintiffs accused the US government and energy trade industries of 
> endangering their rights to life, liberty, property, and to vital public trust resources.
>
> In 2015, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), and 
> the American Petroleum Institute (API), along with the US government, motioned for the case to be thrown out before 
> US Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin. Their opposition was based on a “lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure 
> to state a claim.” Judge Coffin rejected their motion, although the defendants appealed, and was later succeeded by 
> Judge Aikin after his retirement.
>
> From our colleagues at VICE: This Teenager Is Fighting Climate Change by Suing the Government
>
> [snip]



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