Jennifer Atkinson Joins Lead Climate Litigator and Youth Plaintiff to Speak About Climate Lawsuits

Jennifer Atkinson spoke on a panel with Andrea Rogers, lead litigator for the national youth climate cases Our Children’s Trust, Olivia Vesovich, youth plaintiff in the Held v. Montana case, and
youth leader/educator Terrell Engmann, founder of the environmental justice organization Basilica Bio.

The four panelists spoke about what young people need to cultivate climate hope and action, with particular focus on the growing number of climate lawsuits young people are filing against the U.S. government. These lawsuits assert that, through the government’s affirmative actions that cause climate change, it has violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, as well as failed to protect essential public trust resources.

Atkinson and her colleagues shared insights on how to help youth climate activists build emotional resilience, discussed what matters to young people along with the unique challenges they face in our climate crisis, and how the public can best advocate for youth and their future.

The panel was hosted by the Northwest Conservation Philanthropy Fellowship’s annual “All Fellows Gathering.”