Does the constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment include a stable climate system? In this episode of Legal Judg(e)ments, "Climate Change on Trial", host Bob Stetson is joined by Roger Sullivan of McGarvey Law as they analyze the landmark case of Held v. Montana, where Roger represented the plaintiffs. This legal battle involved a group of young Montanans challenging the state’s Montana Energy Policy Act (MEPA), which prohibited state agencies from considering greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts when reviewing energy and infrastructure projects.

Bob and Roger explore the trial proceedings, including key expert testimony connecting rising carbon levels to local environmental harms. They also provide insights into what this decision could mean for the future of similar constitutional and public interest environmental cases across the country, including questions of standing, the scope of environmental rights, and how state policies may be evaluated in light of climate impacts.