Radical climate alarmists aim to flood an Alaska Supreme Court hearing on March 4 to generate attention surrounding another youth-led lawsuit aimed at derailing the Alaska Liquified Natural Gas project.
Eight Alaska youth plaintiffs are represented by an outside, national nonprofit called Our Children’s Trust (OCT). The Oregon-based environmentalist activist law firm claims to specialize in so-called “youth-powered climate litigation” by providing free legal services exclusively to children and young people.
The group opposes a litany of pro-fossil fuel government policies, claiming they threaten the environment and long term sustainability of the planet. OCT often works with far-left groups like Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Zero Hour and many others as part of a coordinated campaign against natural resource development.
In Alaska, a group called Native Movement has seized upon the lawsuit to rally anti-fossil fuel activists. Native Movement is a nonprofit that promotes Marxist ideas about property redistribution, critical race theory, LGBTQ ideology, climate alarmism and abortion access among Alaska Natives. They have a strong emphasis on reaching teens and young adults with their messaging.
On Feb. 12, the group sent an email alert to supporters, calling on them to rally outside the courthouse on March 4 to “cheer on the youth plaintiffs.”
“A strong turnout sends a clear message that Alaska stands with youth, climate justice, and the rule of law,” the alert states. “Together we rise.”
Following the rally, the activists plan to fill the courtroom to show support for “Alaska’s youth as they fight for their rights to life, health, and a livable future.”
While the demonstration may create some publicity, the actual case will likely have little impact on the legality of Alaska’s gas line plans.
The case – Sagoonick v. State of Alaska II – challenges the State of Alaska’s support the LNG initiative, which is major project to integrated natural gas development in Alaska with the aim of commercializing the state’s vast North Slope natural gas resources. It involves extracting, treating, transporting, and liquefying natural gas primarily from the Prudhoe Bay and Point Thomson fields for both in-state use and export as liquefied natural gas. It is expected to be a major boon for Alaska jobs and the overall economy.
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Plaintiffs claim the development will roughly triple Alaska’s greenhouse gas emissions and assert that state laws enabling the effort violate their constitutional rights to a climate system that sustains human life, liberty, cultural traditions and dignity.
The case, which is now on appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court was dismissed in a lower court ruling which found that the courts lack authority and tools to evaluate the State Legislature’s policy choices in balancing economic, environmental, social and conservation goals in supporting the natural gas development.
The current case is called “Sagoonick II” because it follows a previous, broader youth climate case: Sagoonick v. State of Alaska that was filed in 2017 and rejected by the Alaska Supreme Court in 2022. Nevertheless, the cases serve to highlight climate activists’ opposition to fossil fuel production.
