Washington teenagers take their state to court over inaction on climate change!

Save the planet, all the cool kids are doing it!

This group of 8 teenagers aged between 11 and 15 took their state government to court over their lack of action on climate change - and they won! A court in Seattle gave these teens their victory in asking that the state of Washington do more to fight climate change.

These young adults filed a petition last year to the state's Department of Ecology requesting that they bring in a process of rule-making to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in Washington.

The petition calls for reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the town from the current level of 400 parts per million to 350 by the year 2100. After the petition was was denied by the Department of Ecology last year, the King County Superior Court has ordered it to be reconsidered.

This means that the Department has until July 8th to decide what to do.

This court decision came only a day before the big court ruling in the Netherlands that has inspired the world. In fact, the people-power movement is spreading all over the world, generating real change and representing a huge win for the planet.

Plaintiffs celebrate after their court victory in Washington state. Photo credit: Our Children's Trust

Whilst not on the same scale as some of the other high-profile cases of people protesting against government inaction of climate change, this story provides a great example of how everyone, no matter how young, can make a difference.

As 13-year-old petitioner Zoe Foster explained,

These young people have also demonstrated a confidence and hopefulness that some older citizens lack. We hope that these teenagers can inspire a generation of future leaders that are willing to take action on climate change and make a positive difference.