Facing the Climate Crisis: The plaintiffs of Held v. Montana find agency and voice

Author

Richard H. ForbesFollow

Year of Award

2023

Document Type

Professional Paper

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism

Department or School/College

Journalism

Committee Chair

Nadia White

Commitee Members

Lee Banville, Dr. Rachel Williamson

Keywords

climate change, mental health, youth climate lawsuit, Montana

Subject Categories

Psychiatric and Mental Health

Abstract

16 young people, in a lawsuit titled Held v. Montana, are suing the state of Montana on the grounds that its state energy policy contributes to climate change, harming them physically and psychologically and violating their constitutional rights to a clean and healthful environment. This project explores the plaintiffs’ perspectives on the lawsuit, describes how their involvement is changing their relationships to their own climate-related mental health and explains how their psychological concerns reflect larger societal issues related to climate change.

Recommended Citation

Forbes, Richard H., "Facing the Climate Crisis: The plaintiffs of Held v. Montana find agency and voice" (2023). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12134.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12134