The Alaska Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by 16 young Alaskans who claimed that the long-term effects of climate change will devastate Alaska and interfere with their individual constitutional rights.
The lawsuit which was filed against the state of Alaska claimed the state’s legislative and executive branches had not taken steps to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
According to reports, the lower court dismissed the case in 2018, saying these questions were better left to other branches of government.
According to the Alaska Supreme Court, in its split decision, “the young Alaskans appeal, raises compelling concerns about climate change, resource development, and Alaska’s future. But we conclude that the superior court correctly dismissed their lawsuit”.
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Recall that during oral arguments before the high court in 2019, the state of Alaska urged the court to affirm the lower court’s rejection of the claim. General Anna Jay, who was Assistant Attorney at the time said the climate change issues raised by the plaintiffs’ must be addressed by the political branches of government.
After the court’s opinion was released, Andrew Welle, a lawyer for the young people said that with today’s decision, most of the Alaska Supreme Court betrayed their duty to safeguard the constitutional rights of these youth and serve as a check on the conduct of the state.
“The decision not only allows Alaska’s government to continue destroying the conditions necessary for human life, throwing literal and figurative fuel on the fire of an already critical climate crisis, it also makes the court complicit in that conduct, further endangering the health, safety and futures of Alaskan children,” Welle said.
A statement released from the office of Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy said that the Alaska Supreme Court acknowledged that it’s not within its jurisdiction to balance the compelling interests involved in managing the state’s resources.
