Juliana v. United States is a legal case in which 21 youth plaintiffs, all under the age of 21, filed a lawsuit concerning climate justice against the United States in 2015. Their argument was that the United States government knowingly and intentionally violated their rights to “life, liberty, and property” due to its permission of actions that perpetuated climate change. The case was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Our Children’s Trust. It is the subject of the 2020 documentary, Youth v Gov. The documentary is currently available to watch on Netflix.
Who’s Involved in Youth v Gov?
Julia Olson is an attorney and the chief legal counsel of Our Children’s Trust. The documentary highlights Olson’s role as the main adult supervising the legal process of elevating the voices of the young plaintiffs.
Our Children’s Trust is a “non-profit public interest law firm that provides strategic, campaign-based legal services to youth from diverse backgrounds to secure their legal rights to a safe climate.” The firm is currently overseeing 12 cases in 4 nations with a total of 169 youth plaintiffs, one of those cases being Juliana v. United States.
“[This] is a case born of love and compassion and equality and justice, against a political system that has deprived them, not only of their voice, but is depriving them of their equal rights under the law, of safety in their homes, of their health, [and] of their schools [that] are being flooded.”
Julia Olson
Juliana v. United States is named after Kelsey Juliana, the lawsuit’s lead plaintiff. She originates from Eugene, Oregon, and began her climate activism at the age of 10 years old.
Kelsey is the oldest of the Juliana plaintiffs. Olson describes how Kelsey acts as a “big sister” to the plaintiffs in the documentary, which is evident throughout the entirety of the film.
“I believe that climate change is the most pressing issue my generation will ever face, indeed that the world has ever faced. This is an environmental issue and it is also a human rights issue.”
Kelsey Juliana
Of course, the lawsuit would be incomplete without the 20 other plaintiffs. Read their stories here.
Documentary Review
Youth v Gov provides an in-depth look into the legal process of the case. It goes through the proceedings in a step-by-step manner. The information is explained clearly, making the content of the film understandable for the average viewer. The true soul of the documentary is found within the plaintiffs and their stories. The audience gets an intimate vantage point of the experiences of the plaintiffs, which demonstrate how climate change has a direct impact on their personal lives. Their stories illustrate how the climate crisis is not just a social, political, and environmental issue. It is also an emotional, spiritual, and cultural issue.
Current Day
The U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) has consistently filed motions for the case to be delayed or dismissed. However, their most recent attempt was rejected by U.S District Court Judge Ann Aiken on April 19th, 2024. According to Our Children’s Trust’s official website, “District Court Judge Ann Aiken filed her answer to the DOJs seventh Petition for Writ of Mandamus, siding with the youth plaintiffs and explaining that the case is best suited for trial court. She also denied the DOJs motion to stay the case highlighting the DOJ’s repeated attempts over nearly 10 years to keep evidence from being heard.”
Currently, “the youth plaintiffs are waiting for a ruling from the Court of Appeals on the DOJs Petition for Writ of Mandamus.” The plaintiffs are continuing to make their voices heard, with a rally outside of the White House to #SaveJuliana on April 21, 2024, a day before Earth Day.
Gen Z’s Climate Anxiety
The climate crisis is increasingly manifesting in a very physical manner for Gen Zers in their daily lives. The documentary points this out through various anecdotes from the plaintiffs who describe their climate anxiety. This anxiety stems from experiencing natural disasters, such as floods and wildfires, on an increasingly frequent and severe basis.
However, the fact that Gen Zers are growing up in the digital age reveals a different type of exposure to global issues that did not exist for previous generations. Gen Zers are more connected to the world than ever, particularly due to social media. They have access to the latest documentation of global issues on social media, such as issues regarding climate change. As a result, this increases their anxiety about environmental issues, especially considering that they are the ones who will have to deal with the consequences of climate change in the future. This jeopardization of the futures of Gen Zers was caused by decisions made by previous generations. Therefore, Gen Zers are taking a stand for both the environment and themselves.
Gen Z and Climate Justice
Efforts to fight climate change are not limited to the Juliana plaintiffs. Gen Z climate activists are on the rise worldwide. Genesis v. EPA is a youth-led climate case in California with its first hearing on April 29th, 2024. Our Children’s Trust is involved in the case, as well as in youth-led climate cases in over 25 countries according to the documentary, from Mexico to Uganda. Furthermore, climate protests with major Gen Z involvement are widespread. On September 17, 2023, over 75,000 climate protesters in New York City took to the streets in the largest climate protest in the United States since the pandemic.
However, these wide-scale, political and social efforts come alongside smaller, more personal efforts. According to a 2023 study by KPMG, one third of 18 to 24 year olds in the United Kingdom are declining job offers in a phenomenon called “climate quitting”. This phenomenon is a rising trend that occurs due to a company not aligning with a worker’s environmental, social, and governance values. Additionally, 77% of American Gen Zers, aged 18 to 26, are willing to pay more for sustainable products, according to a 2023 report by PDI Technologies.
How To Help
There are limitless options for doing your part as a climate activist, especially this Earth Month. Consider donating to an organization committed to combating climate change. Join a protest or rally in your area. Try to find more sustainable products the next time you go shopping. Support people like the Juliana plaintiffs in their fight, by spreading awareness of their work and engaging with them through social media. Incorporate climate justice into your political life. Ultimately, do not be afraid to speak up for the betterment of the environment, and the betterment of all futures. And even as this Earth Month comes to an end, begin your activism by watching Youth v Gov on Netflix, to gain inspiration from the Gen Z climate activists of today.
