US climate activists sue state of Wisconsin over fossil fuel policies

Fifteen young climate activists in the US filed a lawsuit against the state of Wisconsin on Friday, challenging its policies that support fossil fuel use.

Kaarina Dunn, the lead plaintiff aged 17, said the case offers state officials a chance to "make the correct step to decarbonize Wisconsin" in response to the "climate harms they've caused youth."

The lawsuit was filed by two non-profit law firms, Our Children's Trust, which secured a landmark victory in Montana in 2023 over youth climate rights, and Midwest Environmental Advocates, which recently won a public records case in Wisconsin in July.

The plaintiffs are contesting two Wisconsin laws regulating the state's public service commission -- one that prohibits consideration of climate and air pollution harms when approving fossil fuel plants, and another that blocks mandates for utilities to increase reliance on carbon-free energy sources.

"These laws set up a system where the public service commission continues to approve fossil fuel power plants and cannot bring online more renewable energy," said Nate Bellinger, supervising staff attorney at Our Children's Trust.

While Wisconsin has pledged to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050, about 75% of the state's current power generation still relies on fossil fuels.

The plaintiffs argue that these laws violate the state constitution's guarantees of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by maintaining an oil and gas-based electricity system and are seeking a ruling to have them declared unconstitutional.