HONOLULU (AP) 鈥� Thirteen children and teens in Hawaii took the state government to court over the threat posed by . Now they're celebrating a settlement that emphasizes a plan to decarbonize Hawaii's transportation system in the next 20 years.
It's the latest example of frustrated youth in the United States taking their climate concerns into the courtroom.
The settlement reached in Navahine v. Hawaii Department of Transportation recognizes children鈥檚 constitutional rights to a life-sustaining climate, Gov. Josh Green and attorneys with public interest law firms Our Children鈥檚 Trust and Earthjustice said in separate statements Thursday.
The youths in the suit that Hawaii was violating the state constitution by operating a transportation system that harms the climate and infringes upon the right to a clean and healthy environment. More specifically, they accused the Hawaii Department of Transportation of consistently prioritizing building highways over other types of transportation.
The burning of fossil fuels 鈥� oil, gas and coal 鈥� is the caused by human activity. Hawaii is the state most dependent in the U.S. on petroleum for its energy needs, according to Our Children's Trust.
The parties said the settlement was the first between a state government and youth plaintiffs to address constitutional issues arising from climate change.
鈥淐limate change is indisputable,鈥� Director of Transportation Ed Sniffen said in the governor's statement. 鈥淏urying our heads in the sand and making it the next generation鈥檚 problem is not pono,鈥� or not right.
Personal frustrations led to the 2022 lawsuit, along with a larger sense of activism that has driven around the world.
The lawsuit said one plaintiff, a 14-year-old Native Hawaiian raised in Kaneohe, was from a family that has farmed taro for more than 10 generations. However, extreme droughts and heavy rains caused by climate change have reduced crop yields and threatened her ability to continue the cultural practice.
The complaint said that rising sea levels also threatened to put their lands underwater.
The settlement's provisions include the establishment of a greenhouse gas reduction plan within one year of the agreement that sets out a road map to decarbonize Hawaii's transportation system in the next 20 years.
Provisions also include 鈥渋mmediate, ambitious investments in clean transportation infrastructure鈥� such as completing the pedestrian and bicycle networks within five years and dedicating at least $40 million to expanding the public electric vehicle charging network by 2030.
A volunteer youth council will advise the Department of Transportation.
The plaintiffs said they found some hope in the settlement.
鈥淏eing heard and moving forward in unity with the state to combat climate change is incredibly gratifying, and empowering,鈥� one, identified as Rylee Brooke K., said in a statement.
Elsewhere, youths' efforts to press the state or federal government have been mixed.
In May, a federal appeals court panel a long-running lawsuit brought by young Oregon-based climate activists who argued that the U.S. government鈥檚 role in violated their constitutional rights.
Early this year, the state Supreme Court in Montana a request by the state to block the that said regulators must consider the effects of greenhouse gas emissions when issuing permits for fossil fuel development while its appeal was pending. That case was filed by youth plaintiffs. Oral arguments before the Montana Supreme Court are set for July 10.
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