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Y O U T H A N D C L I M A T E C H A N G E
2 0 1 8 E D I T I O N
Supreme Court in Columbia Grants Person-Hood to Amazon
Rainforest thanks to Youth-Led Climate Change Lawsuit
"25 children and young people — ranging in age from 7 to 26 — sued their nation's
government for their right to a safe environment (threatened by climate change)...
the Colombian Supreme Court granted personhood to the portion of the
rainforest within the country's borders, giving it rights under law...
the Colombian Supreme Court mandated that the country's leaders (namely the
president, minister of environment and minister of agriculture) to begin making an
actionable plan involving collaborations with indigenous peoples of the Amazon,
local communities and scientists within 48 hours of the ruling...
The Colombian case is the first time a direct connection has been made between
deforestation and climate change...
[And] 'It's important because we can show that we as young people — and
especially for someone that is 7 years old — he doesn't have to be a president or
a minister to make a change and to be listened [to]. So, you don't have to have
power to create something big,' said lead plaintiff Valentina Rozo...
there have been several cases where children have sued their respective
governments to protect their rights to grow up in a healthy environment. Such
cases have been decided in Uganda and Ukraine, with another pending in
Portugal and yet another in the United States... "
Source: https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-05-06/colombian-high-court-grants-personhood-
amazon-rainforest-case-against-country-s
The 25 youth plaintiffs represent 17 cities in Colombia, including four within the Amazon rainforest.
