In a surprise ruling from the bench, King County Superior Court Judge Hollis Hill ordered the Washington Department of Ecology to promulgate an emissions reduction rule by the end of 2016 and, in consultation with the youth petitioners, to make recommendations to the state legislature on science-based greenhouse gas reductions during the 2017 legislative session.
Noting the extraordinary circumstances of the climate crisis, the judge said, “this is an urgent situation…these kids can’t wait,” and referenced catastrophic impacts of climate destabilization. Building on their earlier win in November where this court ruled that the youth have constitutional rights to their public trust resources and a safe climate, this decision takes another substantial step by setting specific dates in the near future for science-based action in the state of Washington.
GR: This second ruling in favor of the youths is great news. However, the situation is indeed urgent. The state legislature needs to respond now rather than wait until next year to consider the issue.
