A group of children, numbering up to 21 individuals, banded together and filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump. They claimed his government should be answerable for perpetuating climate change, thus destroying the planet for future generations.
Xiuhtexcatl Martinez, 16, and one of the most outspoken kids in the group protested for the environment at the U.S. Supreme Court last week just before the Science march, CNN reported. She said the kids were taking action because politicians have done nothing substantial to reverse climate change.
"Our politicians are no longer representing our voices," Martinez said. The kids filed the lawsuit in Oregon and opened the website Youth V Gov. The kids cited their Fifth Amendment rights to life, liberty and property as the basis of their lawsuit.
Initially, the group planned on suing President Barack Obama during his term. President Trump's stand on climate change, however, as well as his plans for withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord gave the kids much resolve to sue his government instead.
Some of the children involved also appeared on the CNN show "New Day Sunday" to discuss the lawsuit. Teenager Kelsey Juliana sat on the guest panel along with one of the youngest environment activists, 9-year-old Levi Draheim. They talked about their frustrations and fears about the environment, News Busters reported.
Julia Olson of Our Children's Trust stood as the kids' legal counsel. "This lawsuit is really about five decades of our federal government creating a fossil fuel-based energy system," Olson told CNN. "Energy system is causing pollution that's changing our climate in really devastating ways and they've known for 50 years that this would happen."
Experts, however, cited the kids' climate change lawsuit won't prosper in court but it has "symbolic importance." The children's efforts should send a big message to the government to implore action and quit denying climate change doesn't exist.
