High-stakes climate litigation, purportedly on behalf of children, is being pursued across the country and worldwide by the Oregon-based firm Our Children’s Trust (OCT). Established over a decade ago, OCT is a 501(c)(3) public charity that aims to provide legal services to youth to secure their rights to a safe climate. OCT has filed federal lawsuits, spearheaded legal actions in all 50 states, and is involved in climate litigation in several countries. The group’s efforts have attracted the financial backing of major left-wing philanthropic nonprofits and are supported by longtime activists with ties to progressive organizations.
OCT’s most prominent case, Juliana v. United States, was filed in 2015, alleging that the federal government has contributed to global warming by allowing fossil fuel extraction, transportation, and combustion. The lawsuit, which is currently pending in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, asserts that the government has violated the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property. Other cases brought by OCT challenge state laws promoting fossil fuels and aim to hold agencies accountable for allowing fossil fuel reliance.
The OTC’s legal efforts are supported by pro bono legal assistance from Earthjustice and Oxfam America, two prominent organizations involved in climate lawsuits. The group actively recruits children between the ages of 8 and 18 to serve as plaintiffs in its cases, aiming to use them as the face of their legal efforts. However, critics argue that OCT is exploiting these children to advance its agenda of shutting down responsible energy development, as seen in the case Held v. State of Montana, which challenged state laws promoting fossil fuels.
OCT’s financial filings reveal that the group has over $5.4 million in net assets and has received substantial contributions from various liberal nonprofits. The largest financier of OCT appears to be the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of Amalgamated Bank, which is focused on progressive issues and is majority-owned by the labor union SEIU. The Amalgamated Foundation received backing from George Soros’ Open Society Foundation after the Capitol riot in January 2021. OCT is also supported by donations from other progressive organizations, contributing to social and environmental causes.
OCT’s co-executive directors, Mat dos Santos and Julia Olson, have a history of progressive activism. Dos Santos has served on the boards of organizations advocating for LGBT rights, immigrants, and criminal justice reform, and previously led legal challenges against former President Donald Trump’s immigration actions. Olson has worked as an attorney at Earthjustice and founded her own firm, Wild Earth Advocates. Other members of OCT’s board of directors have ties to climate-focused organizations, further highlighting the connections between OCT and the progressive movement.
Despite criticism from opponents who accuse OCT of using children to advance its climate agenda, the group continues to pursue litigation at the national and international levels. By leveraging financial backing from left-wing philanthropic organizations and tapping into the expertise of longtime activists, OCT remains at the forefront of high-stakes climate litigation, challenging government policies and promoting environmental advocacy through the legal system.
