Media Contacts:
J. Coco Chang, 718-783-2000 x 316
jcoco@witness.org

Meg Ward, 541-344-7066
meg@ourchildrenstrust.org

NEW YORK – September 27, 2011 – Youth across the country are gearing up to launch a series of videos demanding state and federal governments combat climate change for the sake of their future. Today is the release of the first of 10 short videos highlighting young plaintiffs suing the government for not protecting their earth’s atmosphere, and sharing their personal stories of how climate change is already affecting their lives.

The videos are part of the iMatter Campaign, which launched on Mother’s Day of this year, as thousands of kids marched against climate change in cities across the U.S. and in over 43 countries. Prior to the march, dozens of young people also filed state and federal lawsuits and administrative petitions against their governments for allowing the climate system to be damaged by excessive greenhouse gas pollution.

The lawsuits are based on the Public Trust Doctrine, which establishes governments’ legal obligation to protect natural resources that are essential for the public’s collective survival and prosperity. This legal doctrine has been used from ancient Roman times to the present day in the U.S. and many other nations. It reminds governments that they must manage vital resources like the atmosphere in a way that benefits present and future generations.

The first video profiles Alec Loorz, a 17-year old from Oak View, Calif., who shares his fears of what the future will hold if the government does not take drastic measures to stop climate change from worsening. Video available at: www.iMatterCampaign.org

“As a minor, I don’t have any official political rights. I can’t vote, and I certainly can’t compete with rich corporate lobbyists, so I am forced to trust my government to make good decisions on my behalf,” said Alec. “It has become clear that our government has failed us, by not protecting the resources on this planet we need for our wellbeing and survival.”

With the help of Our Children’s Trust (OCT), and for the benefit of present and future generations, Alec is suing the government at the federal level and is submitting his video along with expert declarations to get a motion for a preliminary injunction granted by the United States District Court in the Northern District of California.

“The preliminary injunction motion aims to prevent an increase in CO2 levels and to require the federal government to have a plan for climate protection, so that the worst consequences of climate change can be avoided,” said Julia Olson, Executive Director of OCT.

The lawsuits specific aim is to force government actions in two areas: reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 6 percent each year starting in 2013 and implementing reforestation programs that are consistent with current scientific analysis.

Key partners of the iMatter Campaign include Kids vs Global Warming, founded by Alec, who is leading the youth movement-building aspect of the campaign; OCT, who is coordinating the overall legal strategy; and WITNESS, who is creating the video advocacy element of the campaign.

“All of us involved in this campaign feel that nothing is really more powerful than hearing from the youth themselves of the fear they have over the current state of their environment and their future,” said Kelly Matheson, Program Manager at WITNESS. “If nothing continues to be done by our governments, how can we trust them on any issue that’s supposed to protect our most basic human rights?”

In the coming months, other youth plaintiffs from states like Alaska, Arizona, Iowa and Montana will be telling their stories via video. These stories will also be used in court and administrative proceedings. The plaintiffs are asking their fellow advocates to show their support by signing an online petition to get the government to protect the atmosphere for future generations. Petition is accessible at: http://chn.ge/k65tXS.

Youth members of iMatter are building a movement to raise awareness that the climate crisis is about their own future. They will be collecting and sending their stories to President Obama and other leaders, organizing protests, collecting signatures for petitions, and using every constitutional privilege available to them to ensure that they inherit a safe and livable planet. To keep track of the iMatter Campaign activities, follow at: www.iMatterCampaign.org.

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iMatter is a youth-led campaign of the nonprofit group, Kids vs Global Warming, that is focused on mobilizing and empowering youth to lead the way to a sustainable and just world. iMatter is committed to raising the voices of the youngest generation to issue a wake-up call to live, lead and govern as if our future matters. www.iMatterCampaign.org

Our Children's Trust is a nonprofit focused on protecting earth’s natural systems for current and future generations. We are here to empower and support youth as they stand up for their lawful inheritance: a healthy planet. We are mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers. We are adults, part of the ruling generation, and we care about the future of our children--and their children's children. www.ourchildrenstrust.org