Representing the rights of Future Generations in the legislative work of the EU is an opportunity that brings a long-term perspective to our political thinking in the age of the poly-crisis. Europe was always a long-term journey, never complete but an ongoing experiment in political imagination. Are we on the pathway we want to take? What future are we building for our children and grandchildren? In the age of climate change, rapid digital transformation, geopolitical uncertainty and environmental destruction the fate of Future Generations is increasingly uncertain.
In response to these pressing concerns, JESC, in collaboration with Université Catholique de Louvain and the University of Barcelona, is organising the Future Generations Conference on 3rd of October. The conference will provide a platform to explore this political idea with an interdisciplinary lens, inviting the best scholars, civil society, and EU officials on stage.
Solidarity between generations is already present in the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) as well as the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Furthermore, we have seen good practices across the continent, such as Hungary appointing its Ombudsman for Future Generations, or the Parliamentary Committee for the Future in Finland.
This summer we witnessed a turning point in European politics. Following Ursula von der Leyen’s nomination as President of the European Commission, she committed to nominate a Commissioner whose portfolio will include intergenerational fairness:
“We must also ensure that decisions taken today do not harm future generations and that there is increased solidarity and engagement between people of different ages. To lead this work, I will appoint a Commissioner whose responsibilities will include ensuring intergenerational fairness.“
Similarly, the United Nations, at its upcoming UN Summit of the Future, the appointment of a Special Envoy for Future Generations is among the highly anticipated proposals.
The goal of our conference is 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?
The conference will be part of JESC´s efforts to bring together voices from across Europe working for the cause. At the end of 2023 JESC joined forces with the similarly-minded and key ally The Good Lobby, and in February 2024 the network of the Future Generations Initiative was established, which kickstarted its campaign by publishing its manifesto. Since then, the network has doubled the number of its members, and rallied supporters across the political spectrum. To demonstrate the feasibility of our proposals, we published a legal analysis on intergenerational justice in EU law.
Please find the conference agenda here.
The registration link for both in-presence and online participation can be accessed here. Please note only the morning plenary will be livestreamed.
