Fantastic court ruling in Montana blocks one of the most destructive Republican policies

On Monday, a Montana state court handed down a ruling in one of the most eagerly awaited decisions related to the climate crisis and environmental policy. In that ruling, the court struck down part of a law passed in 2021 that specifically forbids state agencies from considering the effects of greenhouse gasses or climate change when evaluating state policies, specifically those having to do with fossil fuel production and use.

The ruling received media attention largely because the plaintiffs in the case were a group of 16 young people, ranging in age from 22 down to 5, who argued that by ignoring climate change, Montana law was damaging their potential for living in a healthy environment.

But the importance of the case goes way beyond “aw, look at those cute kids winning a case.” This is the first time that any court has ruled that young people have a right to a healthy environment and that consideration of climate change is part of that right. It’s a case that could have effects well beyond the Big Sky State.