A European ombudsman for the rights of future generations

Abstract

Throughout human history, a sense of responsibility for the immediate future, namely the future of our own children and grandchildren, has always been an inherent part of human nature. The next generation has always represented hope, continuity, and progress. Each generation has taken pride in leaving a heritage which the next generation could use to advance society. This was possible for many people in earlier generations. The future appeared stable and predictable. During the last century, human population was too small and human technology not powerful enough to alter planetary systems radically. It was not until we gained access to vast energy resources that we acquired the power to destroy the ecosystem. At the dawn of this new millennium, the future no longer appears either stable or predictable. We do not know what life will be like for the next generations. We all recognise the signs of the global crisis now approaching. Global warning, depletion of the ozone layer, continued population growth, massive loss of species and biological diversity, acceleration of deforestation and desertification – these are all threats which will soon lead to breakdowns in vital support systems for life on earth.