june 2024
Each month, we invite you to learn about the people, the progress, the precedent, and the history-making protection of children’s right to a safe climate powered by Our Children’s Trust.
On May 22, 2024, eight young people from across the state of Alaska filed their constitutional climate lawsuit Sagoonick v. State of Alaska II against the state of Alaska, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), and AGDC President Frank Richards. The youth plaintiffs, many of whom are Alaska Natives, are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and already experiencing serious harms to their health, safety, and access to natural resources they depend on, including for subsistence and cultural traditions.
This month, we invite you to learn about the people, the progress, and the science behind this youth-led constitutional climate lawsuit.
YOUTH-POWERED FUTURE
Meet Summer Sagoonick!
Summer, her family, and her community are intimately tied to the Inupiaq culture, and to the land and local ecology they rely on for subsistence. Summer’s ancestors have inhabited the region for over 2,200 years and current levels of climate pollution are already harming her health, safety, and her cultural traditions and heritage. Read her story, and why she remains hopeful for the future.
RIGHTS-POWERED CHANGE
Courage on the Frontlines: Alaska's Youth Sue to Stop Climate Crisis
Andrew Welle is a Supervising Attorney at Our Children’s Trust and lead attorney on Sagoonick v. Alaska II. Learn more from Andrew about why eight young people in Alaska are taking legal action to secure recognition of their fundamental rights under Alaska’s Constitution, protecting their health, safety, and cultural heritage from the devastating impacts of climate change.
SCIENCE-POWERED EVIDENCE
The Last Frontier Places First in the U.S. Warming Derby
When many people picture Alaska’s climate the first thing that comes to mind is the cold. However, Alaska is actually the fastest-warming state in the nation. Hear from Our Children’s Trust’s Senior Climate Scientist, Anders Carlson, about Alaska’s warming climate and the solutions we have to help stop it.
