In a 3-2 decision, the Alaska Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by 16 youths who said the state's fossil fuel policy exacerbates climate change and violates their rights:
The Alaska Supreme Court narrowly decided Friday to dismiss a challenge to the state’s fossil fuel policy brought by Alaska youths.came in a case brought by 16 youths, including Alaska Natives, against the state of Alaska, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and several state departments. The plaintiffs argued that the state’s fossil fuel policy exacerbates the climate crisis in Alaska, harming them in violation of their fundamental rights under Alaska’s constitution.
The youths asked the court to declare that the state policy of promoting fossil fuels violated their fundamental rights and endangered them. Such a declaration would make it unconstitutional for the state to enforce its policy, according to Andrew Welle, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. “It is hard to tell how long our sustainable life may last,” Sagoonick said in a statement. “Our irreplaceable peoples, lands, cultures, and ecosystems are infinitely more precious than the short-term profits of the fossil fuel industry.”
Representatives of the governor’s office and for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision.
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