WASHINGTON, D.C. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Greenhouse gases released from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas build up in the earth’s atmosphere and stop heat from escaping the planet and going into space. This extra blanket of gases is causing increased global warming. And now, young people across the country are taking their states to court, accusing leaders of not doing enough to fight this dangerous problem and putting their lives at risk. Change makers
Kids are taking to the streets and taking on government leaders. Change makers
Young activists in Hawaii were the first to hold state lawmakers accountable for achieving net zero emissions by 2045.
A judge in Montana ruled in favor of 16 young people who sued their lawmakers for consciously prioritizing the development of fossil fuels over their well-being.
Lawmakers in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, D.C., and Florida are also hearing from their youngest citizens.
“Kids don’t live in a cave. They’re smart, they hear this stuff. So, what are they doing? They’re questioning whether or not to have children. What is the moral aspect of bringing a child into conditions that they believe and have every reason to believe are unstable,” explained Lise Van Susteren, MD, forensic psychiatrist at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Sciences.
Dr. Van Susteren’s latest study in the Lancet found that 63% of young people feel doomed.
“So much of what we know about the emotional toll of climate disruption is not something that policy makers are aware of,” she said.
A movement led by children that could help us all take steps to preserve their futures.
“So, this is my message to parents. Parents go out there and show them who’s boss; we want our children safe,” stated Dr. Van Susteren.
Dr. Van Susteren is part of the children’s trust, which has launched youth-led climate lawsuits and legal actions in all 50 states over the past decade. And this is not something happening just in the United States. Young people worldwide are at the forefront of climate action, not as passive observers, but as proactive activists. They’re demanding that leaders take bold steps to transition to clean energy to protect life on earth. The United Nations has taken notice and has officially acknowledged a child’s right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable future.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Executive Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; and Bob Walko, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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