To mark the launch of the Think2030 paper ‘Future generations and intergenerational equity’, this event will provide a space for dialogue for youth-led NGOs, European institutions and think tanks to debate the next steps needed to ensure intergenerational equity is sufficiently embedded within the European Green Deal and the recovery process following the pandemic.
The five-year mandate of the Von der Leyen Commission will have a crucial role in shaping the lives of the current young generation and future generations. The ecological debt that will be forced on them, if additional significant actions are not taken now, will have unimaginable consequences for the generations to come. Therefore, the measures provisioned within the European Green Deal and the recovery plans must thoroughly consider their potential long-term impacts and reflect on the stakes of the future generations.
Before the current crisis, the rise in climate change youth activism meant that issues of intergenerational justice and solidarity rose to the top of the political agenda, in the EU and UN. International campaigns led by climate activist groups and movements such as #FridaysForFuture inspired by Greta Thunberg have engaged and alerted younger generations of the scale and urgency of ambitious climate action. The inclusion of equity, fairness and justice within climate policy/discussions is essential for amplifying the voices of future generations.
Intergenerational equity being a cross-cutting issue pertinent horizontally to all the sustainable development goals (SDGs), it is instrumental to be considered across the goals’ implementation with the aim to safeguard the rights of future generations to natural resources, a clean environment and a healthy planet for all.
Agenda
09:00 Welcoming words and introduction – moderator Tsvetelina Filipova Head of People-centred environmental policy, IEEP
09:05 Keynote address – Ms Claudia Hahn Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Environment, Global Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Goals, Green Finance and Economic Analysis Unit
09:20 Presentation of the paper’s analysis and recommendations – Krisztina Korpassy Policy Analyst, IEEP
09:30 Panel discussion How can we deliver an effective and intergenerational equitable response to the climate emergency and the interconnected crises?
– Agata Meysner Director, Generation Climate Europe
– Jan Mayrhofer Policy Officer, European Youth Forum
– Karolina Fabianová Project and Communications Manager, Youth and Environment Europe
– Charlotte Unruh Ambassador, Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations.
09:55 Reflections from participants
10:20 Key recommendations and closing remarks
