Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T13:23:44.243Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 13 - A Legal Perspective on Judicial Remedies to Respond to Young People’s Climate Distress

from Part II - Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Youth Climate Distress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2024

Elizabeth Haase
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Reno
Kelsey Hudson
Affiliation:
Climate Psychology Alliance North America
Get access

Summary

Young people are increasingly impacted by the effects of the climate crisis, which are causing significant mental health harms. They are aware that government policies and decision-making have furthered reliance on fossil fuels, even in the face of the known dangers of climate change. To protect their human rights and future well-being, young people are turning to courts to hold their governments accountable for protecting their rights to a life-sustaining climate. Some courts around the world are granting young people access to seek remedies, while in other places, including the United States, such access is still denied. While access to justice is vital, young people have yet to see courts use the best available climate science as the basis for defining and protecting their rights. This article explores the obstacles young people face today in seeking and obtaining legal remedies, identifies human rights that are implicated by the climate crisis, and discusses why access to courts is a crucial aspect of the quest for a legally binding, science-based legal remedy for climate change that protects the rights of young people.

Type
Chapter
Information
Climate Change and Youth Mental Health
Multidisciplinary Perspectives
, pp. 251 - 268
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aji P. v. State of Washington, 497 P.3d 350, 351, 353 (2021).Google Scholar
American Academy of Pediatrics (2015). Global climate change and children’s health: Policy statement. Pediatrics, 136(5).Google Scholar
American Psychological Association (2022). Addressing the climate crisis: An action plan for psychologists. www.apa.org/science/about/publications/climate-crisis-action-plan.pdfGoogle Scholar
Armstrong McKay, D. I., Staal, A., Abrams, J. F., Winkelmann, R., Sakschewski, B., Loriani, S., … Lenton, T. M. (2022). Exceeding 1.5°C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points. Science, 377(6611). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abn7950CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Atherton, R. (2020). Climate anxiety: Survey for BBC Newsround shows children losing sleep over climate change and the environment. British Broadcasting Company. www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51451737Google Scholar
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954). 347 U.S. 483.Google Scholar
Brulliard, K. (2022). A little-watched Montana race has become a contentious abortion fight. The Washington Post, October 12. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/12/montana-supreme-court-abortion/Google Scholar
Center for Biological Diversity (2022). Press release: Legal protests target Biden’s plans to resume oil, gas leasing on public lands. https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/legal-protests-target-bidens-plans-to-resume-oil-gas-leasing-on-public-lands-2022-05-18/Google Scholar
Child Rights International Network (2018). Realising rights? The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Court. https://archive.crin.org/sites/default/files/uncrc_in_court.pdfGoogle Scholar
Corbett, J. (2022). Montana plaintiffs announce first children’s climate trial in US history. Common Dreams, February 7. www.commondreams.org/news/2022/02/07/montana-plaintiffs-announce-first-childrens-climate-trial-us-historyGoogle Scholar
Cui, Y., Li, M., van Soelen, E. E., Peterse, F., & Kürschner, W. M. (2021). Massive and rapid predominately volcanic CO2 emission during the end-Permian mass extinction. PNAS, 118(37), e2014701118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2014701118CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dowsett, H., Dolan, A., Rowley, D., Moucha, R., Forte, A. M., Mitrovica, J. X., … Haywood, A. (2016). The PRISM4 (Mid-Piacenzian) paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Climate Past, 12(7), 15191538. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-1519-2016CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dutton, A., Carlson, A. E., Long, A. J., Milne, G. A., Clark, P. U., Deconto, R., … Raymo, M. E. (2015). Sea-level rise due to polar ice-sheet mass loss during past warm periods. Science, 349(6244), aaa4019. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa4019CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights & Council of Europe (2015). Handbook on European law relating to the rights of the child. https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-ecthr-2015-handbook-european-law-rights-of-the-child_en.pdfGoogle Scholar
Foster, G., Hull, P., Lunt, D. J., & Zachos, J. C. (2018). Placing our current “hyperthermal” in the context of rapid climate change in our geological past. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 376(3). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2017.0086Google ScholarPubMed
Hansen, J., Sato, M., Kharecha, P., Beerling, D., Berner, R., Masson-Delmotte, V., … Zachos, J. C. (2008). Target atmospheric CO2: Where should humanity aim? The Open Atmospheric Science Journal, 2(217).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Held v. State of Montana (2023). No. CDV-2020-307, (Mont. 1st Dist. Ct.). (Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order), August 14.Google Scholar
Hickman, C., Marks, E., Pihkala, P., Clayton, S., Lewandowski, R. E., Mayall, E. E., … van Susteren, L. (2021). Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: A global survey. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2018). Expert report in Juliana v. United States, No. 15-cv-01517.Google Scholar
Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Jacob, D., Taylor, M., Bindi, M., Brown, S., Camilloni, I., … Zhou, G. (2018). Chapter 3: Impacts of 1.5ºC global warming on natural and human system. In IPCC Special Report, Global warming of 1.5ºC (pp. 175–312). Cambridge University Press. www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/chapter-3/Google Scholar
Hughes, C. E. (1936). The Supreme Court of the United States: Its foundation, methods, and achievements: An interpretation. Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Humanium (n.d.). The principle of “the best interest of the child.” www.humanium.org/en/the-principle-of-the-best-interest-of-the-child/Google Scholar
In re: Hawai‘i Elec. Light Co., 526 P.3d 329 (Hawai‘i Supreme Court 2023).Google Scholar
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2018). Summary for policymakers. In IPCC Special Report, Global warming of 1.5ºC (pp. 3–24). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157940.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Juliana v. United States, 217 F. Supp. 3d 1224 (D. Or. 2016).Google Scholar
Juliana v. United States, 947 F.3d 1159 (9th Cir. 2020).Google Scholar
Jurikova, H., Gutjahr, M., Wallmann, K., Flögel, S., Liebetrau, V., Posenato, R., … Eisenhauer, A. (2020). Permian-Triassic mass extinction pulses driven by major marine carbon cycle perturbations. Nature Geoscience, 13, 745750. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-00646-4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krishnakumar, A. S. (2000). On the evolution of the canonical dissent. Rutgers Law Review, 52, 781826.Google Scholar
Kurtzleben, D. (2019). Climate issues: Where 2020 Democrats stand on the Green New Deal and more. National Public Radio, September 11. www.npr.org/2019/09/11/758173003/climate-issues-where-2020-democrats-stand-on-the-green-new-deal-and-moreGoogle Scholar
La Rose v. Her Majesty the Queen, No. 1750–19 (Federal Court of Canada) (Statement of Claim to the Defendants) (filed October 25, 2019), appeal docketed 2021 Federal Court of Appeal A-289-20.Google Scholar
Lidji, A. (Host). (2020). Sir David King, founder & chair, Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge University [Audio podcast episode]. Do One Better with Alberto Lidji, October 4. www.lidji.org/sir-david-kingGoogle Scholar
Lindsey, R. (2022). Climate change: Atmospheric carbon dioxide. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, May 12. www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxideGoogle Scholar
Mabee, W. (2019). Cognitive dissonance: Canada declares a national climate emergency and approves a pipeline. The Conversation, June 20. https://theconversation.com/cognitive-dissonance-canada-declares-a-national-climate-emergency-and-approves-a-pipeline-119151Google Scholar
Mathur v. Ontario (2023) ONSC 2316, No. CV-19-00631627-0000 (Ontario Superior Court of Justice) (Reasons for Judgment), April 14.Google Scholar
Milman, O., & Smith, D. (2019). “Listen to the scientists”: Greta Thunberg urges Congress to take action. The Guardian, September 18. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/18/greta-thunberg-testimony-congress-climate-change-actionGoogle Scholar
Neubaue v. Germany (2021). Bundesverfassungsgericht [Federal Constitutional Court], April 9.Google Scholar
Nguyen, J. M. (2020). Intergenerational justice and the Paris Agreement. E-International Relations, May 11. www.e-ir.info/pdf/84091Google Scholar
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2011). Basic principles of human rights monitoring. In Manual on human rights monitoring. United Nations. www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Publications/Chapter02-MHRM.pdfGoogle Scholar
Oregon Health Authority (2022). Climate change and youth mental health. https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le4212.pdfGoogle Scholar
Orellana, M. (2021). Right to science in the context of toxic substances: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. United Nations Digital Library. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3936864?ln=en#record-files-collapse-headerGoogle Scholar
Our Children’s Trust (2020). Decision of divided Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals finds primarily for Juliana plaintiffs, but holds Federal Judiciary can do nothing to stop the U.S. government in causing climate change and harming children. Press release, January 17. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/571d109b04426270152febe0/t/5e22508873d1bc4c30fad90d/1579307146820/Juliana+Press+Release+1-17-20.pdfGoogle Scholar
Our Children’s Trust (2022). Government climate & energy policies must target <350 ppm atmospheric CO2 by 2100 to protect children & future generations. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/571d109b04426270152febe0/t/62b22f95e407a85914583c12/1655844778728/2022.04.21.Government+Climate+and+Energy+Policies+Must+Target+350+ppm+Atmospheric+CO2+by+2100%5B53%5D.pdfGoogle Scholar
Our Children’s Trust (n.d.). Juliana. www.ourchildrenstrust.org/juliana-v-usGoogle Scholar
Our Children’s Trust (n.d.). Law Library. www.ourchildrenstrust.org/lawlibraryGoogle Scholar
Paris Agreement (2015). United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdfGoogle Scholar
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). 163 U.S. 537.Google Scholar
Pörtner, H.-O., Roberts, D. C., Adams, H., Adelekan, I., Adler, C., Adrian, R., … Zaiton Ibrahim, Z. (2022). Technical summary. In Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 37118). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844.002Google Scholar
Preda, C. F. (2015). The inclusion of children’s rights in national constitutions as an essential component of effective national child policies. https://pace.coe.int/en/files/21757/htmlGoogle Scholar
Sagoonick v. State of Alaska (2022). 503 P.3d 777 (Alaska).Google Scholar
Schiratzki, J. (2013). Best interest of the child. Oxford Bibliographies. www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199791231/obo-9780199791231-0109.xmlGoogle Scholar
Smith, C. (2018). Expert Report in Juliana v. United States, No. 15-cv-01517.Google Scholar
Smith, C. P. & Freyd, J. J. (2014). Institutional betrayal. American Psychologist, 69(6), 575587. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037564CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, C. P., Gómez, J. M., & Freyd, J. J. (2014). The psychology of judicial betrayal. Roger Williams University Law Review, 119, 451475.Google Scholar
State of the Netherlands v. Urgenda Foundation (2020). 114 Am. J. Int’l L. 729, 730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statement of Albert Jérôme Lalonde (2022). La Rose v. Her Majesty the Queen, No. T-1750-19.Google Scholar
Statement of Sierra Raine Robinson (2022). La Rose v. Her Majesty the Queen, No. T-1750-19.Google Scholar
Tamari, J. (2019). How climate change became a Democratic litmus test in the 2020 campaign. The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 23. www.register-herald.com/2020/how-climate-change-became-a-democratic-litmus-test-in-the-2020-campaign/article_53f80814-80c2-11e9-8b89-4b712f9429dd.htmlGoogle Scholar
Treisman, R. (2021). German court orders revisions to climate law, citing “major burdens” on youth. NPR, April 29. www.npr.org/2021/04/29/992073429/german-court-orders-revisions-to-climate-law-citing-major-burdens-on-youthGoogle Scholar
United Nations (1998). General Assembly resolution 53/144: Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/declaration-right-and-responsibility-individuals-groups-andGoogle Scholar
Van Susteren, L. (2018a). Expert Report in Juliana v. United States, No. 15-cv-01517 (9th Cir.).Google Scholar
Van Susteren, L. (2018b). Expert Report in Held v. Montana, No. CDV-2020-307 (Mont. 1st Dist. Ct.).Google Scholar
Von Schuckmann, K., Palmer, M. D., Trenberth, K. E., Cazenave, A., Chambers, D., Champollion, N., … Wild, M. (2016). An imperative to monitor Earth’s energy imbalance. Nature Climate Change, 6, 138144. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2876CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Washington Free Beacon (2020). Biden calls for banning oil companies from drilling. YouTube, March 15. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M_kMDSdISQGoogle Scholar
Watts, J. (2020). European states ordered to respond to youth activists’ climate lawsuit. The Guardian, November 30. www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/30/european-states-ordered-respond-youth-activists-climate-lawsuitGoogle Scholar
Wright, L., & Rodgers, A. (2022). Debate: Climate impacts on mental health – a youth perspective. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 27(1), 8283. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12541CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×