A Boston judge has cleared a group of climate protesters who were facing criminal charges stemming from a 2016 protest over a pipeline in West Roxbury, citing the necessity of their actions in a potentially landmark ruling.

“It may well be the first of its kind in a case involving climate change, in that it’s a judicial recognition of the measures that we need to take to address climate change,” said Andrew Fischer, an attorney for some of the defendants. “In that sense, it is a revolutionary step.”

The protesters, including Karenna Gore, the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, were facing charges of trespassing and disturbing the peace after climbing into a construction trench. On Tuesday, prosecutors asked a judge to convert the criminal charges into civil infractions, saying in the event of a conviction they were unlikely to ask for any further punishment. After allowing the motion, Judge Mary Ann Driscoll found the defendants not responsible, saying she agreed with their argument that their actions were necessary to combat climate change.

Yes - Climate change happens all the time.

Australia is a land of droughts and flooding rains -

and always will be.