A World Fit for Future Generations
Our children’s children, their grandchildren, the 10.9 billion people who are likely to be born by 2100.
They don’t speak. They don’t vote.
They are missing voices at the United Nations. Their needs and interests must be considered and met.
The Summit of the Future is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to those not yet born, establishing new models and ways of working to embed intergenerational solidarity in processes and mechanisms across the UN and beyond.
This is an exciting milestone for campaigners like us who have long advocated for reform. We have the opportunity to make a difference in supporting a meaningful and ambitious Declaration on Future Generations. But we know the Summit is but a milestone – it requires a global movement to secure real change.
We are proud to co-lead a coalition of stakeholders who are ready to support the implementation required by communities, member states and the United Nations.
Launching the ImPACT Coalition for Future Generations
The ImPACT Coalition for Future Generations will serve as an umbrella network to support the design and implementation of the Declaration on Future Generations at the Summit of the Future and beyond!
The Coalition successfully kickstarted this global dialogue at a preparatory meeting at the Future Generations Forum in Cardiff, Wales, followed by an inception meeting at the UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi.
Building a Network for Action
The Coalition seeks to unite a diverse range of partners and networks, facilitating actionable collaboration to enhance long-term governance and practice.
We have welcomed over 250 people who have expressed interest in supporting the ImPACT Coalition, and we look forward to launching it later this year.
We must empower national leadership, particularly from the Global South, ensuring that countries increase their awareness and implementation of future-oriented policies and processes.
They must live and breathe the Brundtland definition (1987) of sustainable development: to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Establish a Universal Framework
It is vital to establish intergalactic norms, rules, and principles to prevent space from becoming the next battleground. This includes initiating negotiations for a treaty that prohibits the arms race in outer space.
Strategic Priorities
Leading up to the Summit of the Future, the coalition will focus on several strategic priorities:
Advocate for a Declaration on Future Generations: We seek commitments from countries to safeguard the interests of future generations.
Support the Appointment of a UN Special Envoy on Future Generations: This envoy would aid member states in implementing the Declaration, including through a Future Generations Review, ensuring ongoing and adaptable commitment.
Create or Repurpose a UN Multi-Stakeholder Forum: This forum would enable countries to exchange best practices and regularly report on efforts to implement the Declaration, making future generations a standing item at UNGA.
Advocate for a Robust Futures and Foresight Architecture at the UN: Strengthening the UN's ability to plan for and respond to future challenges.
“Political short-termism has a vicious influence on governance as it dwindles the dividends of democracy. It discounts the well-being of the voiceless. Where institutions are weak and accountability to the people is absent, political short-termism is fostered.
This is why improving long-term institutional decision-making is an imperative.”
Building the Future Together
As champions for future generations, we are compelled to ensure that we make better decisions at all governance levels.
When times are difficult – an age of continued conflict, displacement, poverty, and the severe impacts of climate change – it can often feel too much to think beyond the day, the week, or the year.
But in reality, we know that we cannot store our problems for tomorrow or disregard the impact of our actions on those not yet born – a generation who will face far harsher circumstances than we face today – unless we take action.
The ImPACT Coalition for Future Generations is not just reimagining the future, it's actively building it.
By advocating for a Declaration on Future Generations and supporting the necessary structures and commitments, we are laying the groundwork for a world that considers the needs and rights of those yet to be born.
This is our chance to create a sustainable, equitable, and just future for all.
“The tragedy of Aberfan, where a coal waste tip in 1966 collapsed and buried a school, killing 144 people – most of them children – deeply motivates me to act for future generations.
It stands as a stark reminder that foresight and community collaboration are essential to prevent such disasters and problems.”
To find out more about the ImPACT Coalition for Future Generations, please contact Jacob Ellis at jellis@unfoundation.org.
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