June 26, 2017

Back the climate children!

tags:	#Climate Change Denial, #climate children, #constitutional rights, #Donald Trump, #Judge Ann Aiken, #Juliana et al v. United States, #lawsuit, #United States of America
located:	USA
by:	Deniz Zehra Tavli

Suing the current government of the United States is en vogue: This time it's not judges trying to stop president-elect Trump to fulfill his travel ban plans, but 21 children suing the U.S. government for its affirmative actions in causing climate change and thus violating the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property.

President Trump, a real estate developer and former reality television star, vowed his withdrawal out of the Paris Global Climate Deal and, despite harsh criticism, still advocates vehemently against climate action. The only way to stop this regressive style of leadership is legal action: The U.S. lawsuit, Juliana et al v. United States, was brought by young people aged 9 to 21 and a group of powerful advocates at Our Children’s Trust. After years of battling motions to dismiss their case, a U.S. court ruled that the 21 young suing the government have a constitutional right to a safe climate.

“Exercising my ‘reasoned judgment,’ I have no doubt that the right to a climate system capable of sustaining human life is fundamental to a free and ordered society," declared Judge Ann Aiken in her historic ruling in November 2016. Now, a Federal court will hear the climate children's case against the President, which means: If they win, Trump will be forced to rein in the fossil fuel industry.

The 21 youth and their team of great attorneys (among them world-renowned climate scientist Dr. James E. Hansen) are asking now for your help to fight Trump and the oil industry's fire with fire. Support them with a small donation via avaaz.org, spread these great news in your circles and motivate people to engage in climate action!

Image by Robin Loznak