The Rights of Future Generations and the Summit for the Future

By Grace Auer and the ELC Team

Future generations face an existential threat—the damage and destruction of Earth’s life-sustaining systems, including the unsustainable use of Nature; the unsound management of chemicals and waste; the pollution of air, land, and water, including significant pollution of rivers and the ocean worldwide; biodiversity loss; fragmented habitats; and exacerbated climate change, amongst many other harms. 

In this blog post, we break down key terms and concepts related to rights of future generations, the UN-sponsored Summit of the Future, and the Pact for the Future. We also explore the actions of countries with established protection and representation of the rights of future generations and share our suggestions on language for the Pact for the Future. 

What are rights of future generations? 

Yannis H / Unsplash

Rights of future generations (RoFG) is a term that refers to the idea of protecting the rights and interests of those who will come after us. This line of thought specifically focuses on existential  environmental threats future generations face. Given that humans are already feeling the impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, accounting for the interests of future generations is increasingly taking center stage in international environmental discourse. 

As the conversation around this concept grows, so do ideas on what future generations deserve. Advocates for RoFG stress the inalienable right to an ecologically healthy environment. This right includes, but is not limited to, “the enjoyment of clean air, pure water, and scenic lands; freedom from unwanted exposure to toxic chemicals and other contaminants; and a secure climate.” Because future generations cannot advocate for themselves, proponents of this right emphasize that it should be given equal weight to any other fundamental right of the present generation. It is our hope that the right to an ecologically healthy environment will give future generations a voice in decision-making today. 

How do we define rights of future generations?

There is no single generally accepted definition of RoFG. The sentiment, however, is age-old. Concern for future generations is ingrained in human history, resonating strongly across a diverse array of cultures, religions, philosophies, and value systems. This line of thought is highlighted, for instance, by the Seventh Generation principle, originating from an ancient philosophy of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people, where leaders contemplate the consequences of their present-day decisions on their descendants seven generations into the future.

The concept of RoFG continues to evolve, often shaped by scholars, policymakers, and legal frameworks. The United Nations identifies RoFG as the interests and well-being of individuals who will inhibit the world beyond our time. Professor Thomas Hale from Oxford similarly emphasizes that RoFG extends to those yet-to-be-born. These sentiments take shape in legislative frameworks, such as the Well-being of Future Generations Act of 2015 in Wales, which, though it does not outright define RoFG, emphasizes the responsibility to meet present needs without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own. This language demonstrates consensus that RoFG underscores the imperative of safeguarding the rights and interests of future generations.

Current Efforts to Protect Future Generations 

Many forward-thinking foreign governments seek to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, and we are now seeing the rise of constitutional consideration for future generations, with several countries already having taken notable action.

The Hungarian Parliament established an Ombudsman for Future Generations in 2007; since then, the office has established a direct link between the interests of future generations and basic constitutional rights, such as the right to a healthy environment and general well-being. Similarly, Wales enacted a Future Generations Commissioner to act as a guardian for the interests of future generations as a part of the Well-being of Future Generations Act in 2015. Bolivia has proposed an Ombudsman for Mother Earth. To grow these initiatives, the nonprofit World Future Council is proposing to establish Guardians for Future Generations. Additionally, there are ongoing international efforts to aid in the development of RoFG, such as the United Nations’ “Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 1,” The Summit of the Future, and the Pact for the Future.  

What is the Summit of the Future, and how does it relate to the Pact for the Future?  

The United Nations will hold the Summit of the Future in hopes of establishing consensus among world leaders on how to best improve the present and protect the future. More specifically, the goals of the Summit are to “accelerate efforts to meet existing international commitments and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.” These “concrete steps” will come in the form of the Pact for the Future, an “action-oriented outcome document” negotiated and agreed upon by participating nations throughout the Summit. 

The Summit will take place from September 22 - 23, 2024 in New York. 

Earth Law Center has submitted suggestions on the Pact for the Future Zero Draft 

The action-oriented outcome document, Pact for the Future, already has a Zero Draft in existence. A zero draft is the single first draft of a document, more robust than an outline, but with language and details yet to be negotiated, added, edited, and then finalized. This drafting process invites written input from stakeholders, civil society networks and organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and academia. You can read the current zero draft here.

In our suggestions on Pact for the Future language, Earth Law Center advocates for robust and transformative support for future generations within the UN system. Specifically, we aim to ensure that the Pact for the Future includes strong support for rights of future generations, including in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss. We support the establishment of a robust and independent Special Envoy to represent and advocate for future generations, and support the establishment of other bodies that can give a voice to future generations internationally, nationally, and locally. Finally, we recommend other ecocentric law concepts that can better protect future generations, including governance frameworks supporting the rights of future generations, building from our interdisciplinary knowledge of ecocentric law. Read more our full input for the Pact for the Future here.