In response to the urgent challenges of our time and aligned with the ongoing Future Generations Initiative, the Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC), in collaboration with Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and the University of Barcelona, organised a Future Generations Conference on October 3rd at UCLouvain’s Brussels campus. The event provided a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on the political and societal responsibilities we face in shaping the future for upcoming generations.
The goal of the conference was to explore and discuss how Future Generations should become represented in European decision-making. What are our political options to address intergenerational conflicts? How is society thinking about its long-term future? Is it legally, and ethically possible to represent them in the political process without their presence? What new methods, laws, and processes are necessary to address these questions?
Morning Plenary: Thought Leadership on Intergenerational Fairness
The day started with a lively presentation by Malcolm Fairbrother, a Sociology professor from Uppsala University in Sweden, questioning why many democracies fail to plan adequately for future generations, and examining many people’s distrust and disengagement towards this necessary concern. It was followed by a compelling keynote speech from Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General of the European Commission’s Legal Service, who outlined what we can expect from the newly established role of the Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport, and stressed the Commissioner’s horizontal role across policy areas, aiming to ensure that decisions made today are sustainable for the long-term future.
After a short break, the morning session featured Iñigo González, associate professor from the University of Barcelona, who presented a paper on behalf of Charlotte Unruh, discussing institutional mechanisms that could be implemented to counteract the short-term focus of current policymaking. Maija Setälä, a political scientist from the University of Turku, explored how decision-making processes, when conducted without meaningful public engagement, often result in policies that do not resonate with the broader concerns of citizens – therefore highlighting the need for deeper participation to foster long-term vision.
Interactive Afternoon Sessions: Tackling Key Themes
After a refreshing vegetarian lunch, the conference transitioned into interactive afternoon panels, where attendees could engage directly with experts in smaller, focused discussions. Participants could choose between three panels:
- Participative Methods to Represent Future Generations, chaired by Judith Ferrando y Puig, who led the audience through a journey across 7 generations.
- Future-Fit Economic Policies, chaired by Gael Giraud SJ, where both theoretical and already-existing foresight models were presented and discussed.
- Rights of Future Generations, chaired by Olivier De Schutter, who discussed the legal and moral imperatives of safeguarding the rights of those yet to be born, and how to best embed them into current legal frameworks,
The discussions across these panels were rich with debate and aimed at finding actionable solutions to the challenges facing future generations.
A Day of Reflection, Joy, and Commitment
The overall atmosphere of the conference was one of lively intellectual exchange, combining moments of joy with moments of deep concern for the future.
The presentations from the key speakers were compiled and published in a special conference publication, which serves as a valuable resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of the themes discussed. The full agenda of the conference is available here. Finally, a short video capturing the essence of the day can be watched here, and the full recording of the morning plenary is also available here.
Enikö Fehéreková
JESC Ecology Officer
