Summary/Abstract
This expert report was written by Daniel B. Fagre, Ph.D., and filed by plaintiffs in the case Held v. State of Montana.
In this report, the author assesses the impact of climate change on the mountain glaciers of Montana’s Glacier National Park. The report concludes that “[t]he retreat of glaciers in the last few decades is incontrovertible evidence of anthropogenic
global warming and its impacts on the hydroclimate,” and that “[t]his loss is causing fundamental alterations in Glacier Park and the surrounding mountain ecosystems, including the potential loss of species.”
In a subsequent rebuttal expert report, filed by plaintiffs on November 30, 2022, the author responds to the expert report of Dr. Judith Curry, filed on behalf of the State of Montana, and reiterates the conclusion of his September 30, 2022 expert report.
The underlying case, Held v. State of Montana, arose when, on March 13, 2020, sixteen young people filed a lawsuit in a state court in Montana, United States, asserting climate change-based claims under the Montana constitution against the State of Montana, its governor, and state agencies. In particular, the case challenged the constitutionality of Montana’s fossil fuel-based State Energy Policy and the “Climate Change Exception” in the Montana Environmental Policy Act. For more information about this case, visit the Sabin Center’s Climate Litigation Database.
Note: This climate attribution research was presented in the context of a contested legal proceeding. Different countries, courts, and legal forums may have different standards for expert testimony, and may conduct fact-finding based on legal standards of proof that differ from those applied in academic publishing. Readers should independently investigate and understand the bases for the assertions made in this document before applying this research in other contexts.