Eight Alaskan youths are suing the state over a $38.7 billion gas export project, arguing it violates their constitutional rights by exacerbating climate change.
Dharna Noor reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- The Alaska LNG Project includes a gas treatment plant, an 800-mile pipeline, and a liquefaction plant, which will significantly increase the state's greenhouse gas emissions.
- Plaintiffs, aged 11 to 22, claim the project infringes on their rights to natural resources and protection from government overreach, as stated in the Alaska constitution.
- The lawsuit, filed by Our Children’s Trust, aims to prevent the state from proceeding with the project and establish a legal precedent for climate justice.
Key quote:
“The acceleration of climate change that this project will bring will affect what the land provides and brings to my culture.”
— Summer Sagoonick, lead plaintiff in the case and a member the Iñupiaq tribe
Why this matters:
This case illustrates the legal battles young people are waging to protect their future from the impacts of climate change. The outcome could set a significant precedent for environmental justice and state responsibility.
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