Canada will be put on trial for doing nothing for the climate, as a group of fifteen young environmental activists say. The activists had sued Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government over the issue four years ago. A federal judge denied their request, and the case has now been reopened on appeal.
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled that a trial must take place to determine whether the actions of Prime Minister Trudeau’s government violated the young claimants’ rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, according to a decision made public Thursday.
“Climate change is having a dramatic, rapidly unfolding impact on all Canadians,” said the ruling, which was seen by the French news agency AFP. “There is also no doubt that the burden of addressing the consequences of this will disproportionately affect Canada’s youth.”
In 2019, the young people, then aged 10 to 19, filed a lawsuit against the federal government. They say it is contributing to global warming by failing to implement an ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A year later, a federal judge denied their request, but the Court of Appeals overturned that decision on Wednesday.
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