A group of 13 Hawaiian youths has secured a groundbreaking $40 million settlement from the state after alleging that the Hawaii Department of Transportation (DOT) violated their rights by failing to adequately reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This outrageous settlement requires the state to create a comprehensive plan to decarbonize all travel by 2045, including ground, sea and interisland air travel.
The lawsuit, Navahine v. Hawai’i Department of Transportation, accused the DOT of prioritizing highway development over public transit and vehicle electrification. The settlement mandates the completion of a pedestrian, bicycle, and transit network within the next five years. Additionally, at least $40 million will be allocated to expand the public electric vehicle (EV) charging network by 2030.
Hawaiian lawmakers praised the youths for their successful legal action. Gov. Josh Green lauded the plaintiffs, saying, “You have a constitutional right to fight for life-sustaining climate policy, and you have mobilized our people. You’re the first in the country to succeed, and I hope others will follow your lead.”
State Senator Mike Gabbard, a former high school teacher, expressed his excitement about the youths’ initiative. “They’re leading the way instead of sitting back and complaining,” Gabbard said in an interview.
Had the case proceeded to trial, it would have been only the second youth climate trial in U.S. history. The first was a 2023 case in Montana, where young plaintiffs, supported by Our Children’s Trust, won a ruling that invalidated two state laws preventing agencies from considering the climate impact of fossil fuel projects.
Hawaii has been at the forefront of climate action, being the first state to declare a climate emergency in 2021. In 2018, the state passed legislation aiming for carbon neutrality by 2045. This settlement reinforces Hawaii’s commitment to addressing climate change and sets a precedent for youth-led climate litigation nationwide.
