United for Climate Action: From Wildland Conservation in Utah to Youth-Led Climate Litigation
September 6, 2024
Diana Haro, Organizer Director at SUWA
Fighting the climate crisis through youth-led litigation would not be possible without the support of communities and global partners that fuel the climate movement. On September 4, 2024, the seven youth plaintiffs in the constitutional climate lawsuit Natalie R. v. State of Utah appeared before the Utah Supreme Court to advocate for their right to be heard at trial. Our Children’s Trust is incredibly grateful to our partners on the ground in Utah like the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), who helped engage the community by spreading awareness about the hearing and helping to pack the courtroom.
Check out the Q&A below to learn more about our partnership with SUWA!
1. Who are you and what is your role at SUWA?
My name is Diana Haro, I’m the Latinx organizer and organizer director for Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA).
2. How does SUWA work to protect Utah from climate change?
At the heart of SUWA’s work is the goal to protect wilderness quality federal public lands in Utah from continued exploitation and preserve them in their natural state. These wildlands are under continual threats from extractive industries (oil and gas development, mining, etc.) and excessive off-highway use, among others. Keeping fossil fuels in the ground, stopping speculative and short-term development, and minimizing the impacts of off-road vehicles helps to mitigate climate change. Desert ecosystems are rich in wildlife and invisible natural processes that make them vital carbon sinks. However, this only remains true if they are left undisturbed for natural systems to flourish, making their protection crucial.
3. How and why do you partner with Our Children’s Trust and the young people we represent?
We partnered with Our Children’s Trust to help amplify the Natalie R. v. State of Utah case because climate action requires a unified and multi-faceted environmental community - everyone has a role! SUWA's decades of work in Utah has built a strong base of supporters who care deeply about environmental health and understand Utah's unique political landscape, even if Utah’s politicians are still catching up.
4. How do you feel about the youth in Natalie v. State of Utah having their case considered by the highest court in your state?
I see this as an important and significant move by the Utah Supreme Court. The court's decision could potentially address Utah's overreliance on fossil fuels. The state can no longer afford to operate from a place of greed; it must prioritize the health of its land and children.
5. What personally inspires you to take climate action?
My background as a Montessori educator shaped my understanding of interconnectedness and the importance of preserving our planet. One of the tenets of elementary Montessori education is to connect students to the world around them within the context of Earth’s geologic and evolutionary timelines. For instance, invertebrates are presented before vertebrates, ferns before trees, ecosystems before country studies, etc. Simply put, students begin to see a pattern: that life exists because of everything that came before and in response to the environment.
Witnessing the impact of climate change on the youth as a teacher and mother motivated me to leave education and become involved in environmental work. I couldn't stand by and watch future generations bear the brunt of our inaction. Leaving them may have been the hardest, but most important lesson I ever gave.