Hawaii on Thursday agreed to settle a lawsuit by 13 young people alleging the U.S. state was violating their rights under its constitution by operating a transportation system that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Democratic Governor Josh Green announced the settlement at a press conference attended by some of the youth activists and lawyers involved in the lawsuit, which they called the first-ever youth-led climate case seeking zero emissions in transportation.
It would have been the second-ever trial in the U.S. of a lawsuit by young people who claim their futures and health are jeopardized by climate change and that a state’s actions violated their rights.
Under the settlement, Hawaii has agreed to develop a holistic roadmap to achieve zero carbon emissions in its transportation system by 2045 and give young people a seat at the table through a volunteer youth council, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said.
“We’re addressing the impact of climate change today, and needless to say this is a priority because climate change is here,” Green said.
The case is one of several by young environmental activists in the United States that broadly accuse governments of exacerbating climate change through policies that encourage or allow the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
