Empowering Youth for Climate Justice: The Held v Montana Lawsuit and the Importance of Social Change Education

By Kelsey Medina and Dr. Benjamin M. Drury

Youth plaintiffs in the climate change lawsuit, Held vs. Montana, pose for a photo outside the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse on June 12, 2023, the first day of hearings in the trial. Credit: Thom Bridge / Independent Record

Grace Gibson-Snyder, a 19-year-old Montanan, deeply loves her home state. However, when she contemplates its future, she is filled with apprehension. Over the years, she has witnessed significant changes in the land she cherishes. During her childhood, the rivers she used to raft on have been experiencing lower water levels due to frequent dry spells. Additionally, the air she breathes during soccer practice has become more polluted with wildfire smoke. Even in Glacier National Park, the melting of glaciers is evident. Testifying in the first constitutional climate trial in US history, Gibson-Snyder, along with 15 other young plaintiffs, is part of the Held v Montana lawsuit. The trial is currently taking place in Helena, the state capital, and its outcome could have far-reaching consequences. The youth challengers argue that state officials have violated their constitutional rights to a healthy environment by implementing pro fossil-fuel policies. The focus of Held v Montana centers around a provision in the Montana Environmental Policy Act that prohibits the state from considering how its energy economy contributes to climate change. The plaintiffs and expert witnesses argue that this provision contradicts the…