Deliberation 7: Your Right to a Sustainable Earth
Should future generations be guaranteed a livable planet?
Explicitly:
Should the Constitution guarantee every person the right to clean air, clean water, and safe land?
Should the Constitution require the government to prevent environmental destruction and hold polluters accountable for harm to people and ecosystems?
How should climate justice be addressed constitutionally, especially for communities most impacted by pollution and climate change?
Should the Constitution recognize intergenerational responsibility - protecting the Earth not only for today’s people, but for future generations?
Should public resources and natural commons be legally protected from exploitation that causes irreversible harm?
What obligations should federal and state governments have to act on climate change and environmental degradation?
Information for joining the deliberation: Coming Soon!
Background
The Constitution never guarantees clean air, clean water, or a livable planet. Environmental protections in the U.S. come from laws, not rights, which means they can be rolled back when politics change. While government is meant to protect the public good, freedom from pollution and environmental harm was never named as a basic right - leaving communities exposed and protections uneven.
As climate impacts accelerate, the consequences are no longer abstract. Pollution and environmental collapse shape health, housing, work, and survival, hitting low-income communities, communities of color, Indigenous peoples, and future generations hardest. If democracy exists to protect life, shouldn’t it guarantee the right to a healthy planet for generations ahead?