Intergenerational equity focuses on ensuring that we, as the current generation, act as caretakers for the planet, "borrowing" it from future generations with a commitment to maintaining its health and resources. Intergenerational equity is also about ensuring human wellbeing, where future populations are free and able to continue to observe cultural practices and sustain their livelihoods.
Achieving intragenerational equity requires us to think about the decisions we are making today and how that may impact on future generations.
The three principles of intergenerational equity are:
· Options: Ensuring future generations have the same choices we do and are not unnecessarily burdened by the choices we make today.
· Quality: Passing the Earth on in as good, or better, condition than received.
· Access: Keeping natural and cultural resources accessible to all.
An example of this concept in action is our approach to global warming, which represents a challenge to intergenerational equity as it can disproportionately impact younger generations. For example, delaying making the necessary investments into adaptation measures now to address increasing climate risks which will place increased financial burden on future generations to deal with the heightened risk.
To achieve intergenerational equity, we must ensure that our actions today do not hinder future generations' ability to meet their needs, or burden future generations with today’s decisions for creating or maintaining cultural, social, environmental, and economic equity, thus preserving their "options, quality, access and wellbeing".
For the full article please contact Priyani de Silva-Currie at: priyani.desilvacurrie@beca.com