Maine Youth Climate Activists Declare Right To Future Free From Climate Catastrophe #AllEyesOnJuliana

Young leaders of the climate movement in Maine held a press conference yesterday in Portland to announce their summer initiatives, including support for the landmark court case Juliana v. U.S.

If the embedded video does not work for you, here's a link: https://youtu.be/ciiD2BuHK-M

Maine Youth for Climate Justice (MYCJ) is part of Our Children’s Trust, the organization behind the litigation to establish their collective right to a future free of climate catastrophe. They described Juliana v. U.S. as,

"the first lawsuit that calls on courts to declare that we have a constitutional right to a stable climate."

Thus far the 21 young plaintiffs in Juliana v. U.S. have prevailed at each step of the process of suing the federal government for causing climate change. This week's court hearing in Portland, Oregon will determine two things: whether the case should continue to trial, and whether the government should halt new fossil fuel extraction projects pending the outcome of the case. Supporters can watch via livestream on Tuesday, June 4 (5pm EST/2pm PST) at I am Juliana.

At yesterday's presser Cassie Cain, 350 Maine Youth Engagement Coordinator, introduced
Ruby Peterman, 16, MYCJ member and head of media and communications for the Maine branch of U.S. Youth Climate Strikes; Sarah Whitcomb, 17, media and communications coordinator for the Maine branch of U.S. Youth Climate Strikes, and Brianna Holston, 17, SolaRISE Portland, who read a statement sent in by District 88 Representative Chloe Maxmin, 26, in support of youth climate work.

Cain, who is 22, spoke about the importance of "centering youth voices in climate activism." Regular Friday climate strikes are already underway in Maine and across the nation, with youth calling on adults to join them on Friday, September 20. According to Cain:

[Juliana v. U.S.] acknowledges that climate change is truly a crisis, that youth are inheriting a climate and world that is in the midst of the largest catastrophe known to humankind, and that our generation didn't create. 

It confronts that our government has ignored climate change spread mistruth about it, and flat out buried it, while continuing to invest in a fossil fuel economy.

Peterman added, “We are so close to the point of no return when it comes to climate change and our government is not taking the necessary action. This is OUR future that is being ruined and ignorance is no longer an option."

Holston shared Rep. Chloe Maxmin's statement,“Young folks can see through the fog of bureaucracy to understand what justice looks like. Youth are not afraid of what is needed and fight for what we love.” Maxmin recently introduced "Maine Green New Deal" legislation in Maine to wide acclaim.

In a conversation with Cain yesterday I mentioned that little-known fact that

the U.S. military's carbon output was exempted from being tallied under the Kyoto climate protocols.

350 Maine is a co-sponsor of the Conversion Campaign aimed at turning Maine's Bath Iron Works shipyard from building carbon belching war ships for the military and toward building sustainable energy solutions. So, I invited Cain to speak at our news conference for conversion on Friday, June 21 in Portland. She is an articulate, intelligent voice bringing Maine Youth for Climate Justice's message to the public, and I really hope she can make it along with her colleagues in MYCP. We urgently need to hear from them!