Briefing - Intergenerational fairness from a climate policy perspective: Current trends and priorities for the EU - 27-03-2025
newsare.net
Political decision-making frequently focuses on short-term impacts to satisfy current demands and ensure the electability of political representatives in office. Advocates of intergenerational fairness argue for a more balanced consideration of policy consequBriefing - Intergenerational fairness from a climate policy perspective: Current trends and priorities for the EU - 27-03-2025
Political decision-making frequently focuses on short-term impacts to satisfy current demands and ensure the electability of political representatives in office. Advocates of intergenerational fairness argue for a more balanced consideration of policy consequences, emphasising that long-term thinking is crucial to ensure that political choices made today do not negatively affect generations to come. There is a broad range of mechanisms that represent unborn future generations within contemporary spheres of influence such as courts, parliaments and citizen assemblies. Intergenerational fairness has recently secured itself a spot on the European Union's (EU) executive agenda with the inauguration of the post of Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, assigned to Glenn Micallef as part of the von der Leyen II College. His tasks for the present legislative term include developing a strategy for intergenerational fairness, to be published at the start of 2026, and institutionalising youth dialogues. The Commission's Joint Research Centre is presently organising stakeholder consultations on intergenerational fairness. Intergenerational fairness has risen to prominence in political discussions not only within the EU but also on an international scale. At the United Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024, delegates adopted a Declaration on the Rights of Future Generations. The phase-out of fossil fuels featured on the summit agenda, raising questions at the nexus of intergenerational fairness and climate change. Judicial institutions have addressed similar topics, with calls for intergenerational fairness being increasingly prominent in climate litigation. In light of these developments, this briefing will focus on mechanisms for implementing intergenerational fairness within the EU's institutional framework in the context of climate change. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP Read more
