Call for Participation
Most governments recognize but fail to implement intergenerational equity in a meaningful way. A long-term perspective through a global youth-inclusive strategic foresight approach is necessary.
The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution is a deeply intergenerational issue. These problems grow worse over time, which means each new generation inherits greater challenges.
In principle, Intergenerational Equity (IE) is widely acknowledged in law through national constitutional provisions and international climate law and litigation all reference the rights of future generations. The Brundtland Report (1987) defined sustainable development as meeting present needs without compromising future generations, placing intergenerational equity at the core of global sustainability discourse.
The UN Declaration on Future Generations recalls the needs of present and future generations and formally references intergenerational equity as a moral responsibility.
"Recalling the principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations which refer to the dignity and worth of the human person and the equal rights of generations, and conscious of the responsibility of each generation to ensure the needs and interests of present and future generations..."
Establishes a duty of care toward those not yet born.
Article 1. "Present generations have the responsibility of ensuring that the needs and interests of present and future generations are fully safeguarded."
Adds a rights-based framing to future generations emphasizing agency and autonomy.
Article 3. "Present generations should strive to ensure that future generations are not exposed to the harmful effects of environmental degradation and that they enjoy freedom of choice in political, economic and social matters."
Provides a clear environmental imperative linked directly to intergenerational responsibility.
"Present generations should preserve the Earth's natural resources and biodiversity for the benefit of future generations."
Article 3 of the UNFCCC (1992) which outlines the Principles guiding the Convention, explicitly refers to present and future generations in the first principle:
"The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities."
Governments are missing the opportunity to embed long-term thinking
The systematic exclusion of younger generations from decision making positions means there is a lack of youth advocates for IE. The underrepresentation of Global South youth further exacerbates this issue.
This absence of checks and balances leads to short-sighted decisions that prioritize the needs of today at the cost of tomorrow.
Strategic foresight can help governments take a long-term perspective
Governments must integrate strategic foresight in decision-making to navigate a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous reality. Through tools such as Three Horizons, Scenario Development, Back Casting and Change Agendas, governments can imagine possible futures and take action.
The purpose of Global Youth Coalition's research project on Intergenerational Equity is to examine the concept of IE through its dimensions and propose metrics for policymakers to apply IE in their decision-making at all levels of policy.
In 2025 we launched a survey to gather insights, and now we invite you to sign up for our newsletter, contribute to horizon scanning to track signals of change, and participate in upcoming workshops as we continue refining what IE means ecologically, medically, economically, culturally, scientifically, and technologically.
