The Alaska Superior Court dismissed claims brought by 16 youth plaintiffs against the State of Alaska, its governor, and State agencies alleging that the State’s climate and energy policies violated their rights under the Alaska constitution to a stable climate system. The court found that the plaintiffs’ claims for injunctive relief were indistinguishable from claims presented in an earlier case that involved two of the same plaintiffs (<a href="https://climatecasechart.com/case/kanuk-v-alaska/">Kanuk v. Alaska</a>) in which the Alaska Supreme Court determined that the claims required science- and policy-based inquiry and therefore presented non-justiciable political questions. The Superior Court also cited Kanuk in concluding that the plaintiffs’ claims for declaratory relief must be dismissed on prudential grounds because declaratory relief would not advance the plaintiffs’ interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Superior Court also upheld the Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner’s denial of a rulemaking petition to address climate change.

Lawsuit contending that Alaska state Climate and Energy Policy violated youth plaintiffs' rights under the state constitution.

Sinnok v. Alaska

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Alaska Court Rejected Youth Plaintiffs’ Lawsuit Alleging State Climate and Energy Policies Violated State Constitution

Filed

United States of America

Alaska

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

Oil is a combustible liquid fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons, occurring as crude oil and refined into petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock formed from carbonised plant matter, rich in carbon and hydrocarbons, and occurring in several main types including hard coal and brown coal.

woman and genders outside of the gender binary

Activities of industries that extract natural resources, such as mining, oil, and gas, for commercial use.

Activities of government agencies and institutions that provide public services, enforce laws and manage public resources.

Activities involving the catching, processing, and selling of fish for food, recreation, and industry.

Alaska Court Rejected Youth Plaintiffs’ Lawsuit Alleging State Climate and Energy Policies Violated State Constitution

Impacted group

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance