Montana Supreme Court Affirms Youth Right to Stable Climate

The Montana Supreme Court upheld a 6-1 ruling in Held v. Montana affirming that the state constitution guarantees residents, including youth plaintiffs, a right to a clean and healthful environment. The court rejected the state's argument that the Montana Environmental Policy Act's prohibition on considering greenhouse gas emissions was constitutional. The decision made Montana the first US state supreme court to find a constitutional right to a stable climate enforceable against state energy permitting decisions.