Intergenerational Justice

Centring on responsibility in relation to the temporalities of justice, this chapter examines the distinct qualities of an intergenerational justice approach, as well as noting how it overlaps with other positions (such as climate justice and just transitions). It engages with a variety of issues, such responsibility for the compound effects of cumulative acts of pollution, the non-identity of future beings, as well as prospects for greater youth participation in decision-making. Ohlsson and Skillington highlight the implementation challenges and critique that has been brought forward by intergenerational accounts of justice, where emphasis is placed on actualizing the principles of various international treaties and state constitutions affirming the rights of, or duties owed to future generations, as well as new political and legal opportunities. They conclude by highlighting how an intergenerational justice perspective redefines what has traditionally been thought of as imaginable in justice terms, stretching its boundaries to encompass the ‘not yet’ moment of various democratic potentials.