Young People Sue The Government Over Climate Change

FEATURING XIUHTEZCATL TONATIUH – A Federal district court judge in Oregon recently ruled that a group of children have the right to sue the US government over the damage caused by climate change. The historic ruling will enable an innovative legal approach to tackling climate change based on the idea that the government has the responsibility to uphold the public trust on the climate, in the same way that people have the right to clean water.

The lead plaintiff, 19-year old Kelsey Juliana, said, “This will be the trial of the century that will determine if we have a right to a livable future, or if corporate power will continue to deny our rights for the sake of their own wealth.”

A total of 21 minors together with former NASA scientist James Hansen, are part of the lawsuit. Among the plaintiffs is my guest Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh.

Find out about his work and Earth Guardian’s at www.earthguardians.org.

Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh, Youth Director of Earth Guardians, a 15-year-old indigenous environmental activist, public speaker and hip-hop artist. In 2013 he received the United States Community Service Award from President Obama, and was the youngest of 24 people from around the US chosen to serve on the President’s youth council.