Source: The six big surprises in the Montana youth climate trial » Yale Climate Connections
…
The state made only one point, albeit repeatedly: Montana is too insignificant to have any impact on climate change. But Erickson, an affiliated researcher at the nonprofit Stockholm Environment Institute, noted that there are 100 countries with emissions smaller than Montana’s, yet the governments of those countries have pledged to cut their emissions.
“Every ton matters” was a refrain from the plaintiff’s side, referring to statements from the IPCC that emphasize the need for rapid decarbonization across all economic sectors and around the world.
Montana annually sends over 100 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere via fossil fuel consumption and extraction, with an additional 80 tons related to fuels transported through or refined in Montana, according to numbers presented by Erickson.
“Montana’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is nationally and globally significant,” Erickson said. “Montana’s responsibility and ability to transition away from fossil fuels is substantial.”
Leave a Reply