Lawsuit pits young climate change activists against a fossil fuel-friendly state at trial

Young people challenging Montana officials over their inaction on climate change are expected back in state court on Tuesday in the ongoing trial over a lawsuit that environmentalists hope will spur changes in the fossil fuel-friendly state. State officials have sought to downplay Montana’s contributions to global warming and the significance of the lawsuit in state court. But it's being closely watched for any legal precedents. The plaintiffs say warming temperatures are harming their health and threatening their futures. A state lawyer counters that sparsely populated Montana produces minuscule emissions and any climate harms alleged by the plaintiffs can’t be traced to specific official actions.