An Aamjiwnaang First Nation youth is one of seven young people challenging the provincial government's decision to weaken Ontario's 2030 climate target in the Ontario Superior Court this week.
In 2018, the Doug Ford government repealed a law that set a target of reducing emissions 37 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. It was replaced with a target to reduce emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels.
Beze Gray, 27, said they've always been interested in climate change growing up near chemical valley.
"Ecojustice had already been doing work with Aamjiwnaang, making information and things accessible and doing work with legal cases within Aamjiwnaang," said Gray. "So, I was already in connection with community members and Ecojustice itself. Once they had started talking about youth being interested in doing a case like this, I was instantly interested."
The case, which has been backed by Ecojustice and lawyers from Stockwoods LLP, claims that the scaling back of emission reduction targets has infringed on the youths rights to life, security and equality under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Gray and the other applicants argue that the Ontario government has moved backwards and must do more on climate change.
"The case is bringing forth the aspect of something that Indigenous people really focus on, their natural law, but also that we think seven generations ahead. We are in this case for not only youth today, but also for the youth that aren't a part of this or didn't have a say in Ontario's targets."
The proceedings started Monday and are expected to conclude Wednesday.
"We didn't see the reflection of science in those target goals and so we wanted to have this case go forth for youth and future youth generations."
Gray said the judge will take time to consider all of the information presented before delivering a decision.
Gray works in the Indigenous-led Environmental Data Justice Lab at the Technoscience Research Unit at the University of Toronto.
Gray helped develop the "Pollution Reporter" app which makes it easy for Sarnia-Lambton residents to report spills, leaks, flares and other pollution events to the Ontario Ministry of Environment from a phone or tablet.
