Over the last decade, questions of fairness and solidarity between generations have risen up the political agenda and become increasingly mainstream. From housing to healthcare, pensions to transportation, education to energy, the consequences and costs of today’s decisions will weigh disproportionately on those who can’t yet vote or haven’t yet been born.
With tensions triggered by financial crises and climate change further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, people are looking for solutions. This is why this year’s strategic foresight retreat explores the Intergenerational Fairness principle.
It has never been more important to hold leaders to account and assess decisions for their impact on present and future generations. We can already see significant experimentation and practice emerging that we can all learn from. For example, the Australian and the UK Parliaments are conducting live inquiries, UNGP and UNESCO launched an IGE toolkit, the Portuguese President has committed to championing intergenerational fairness, and the UN secretary-general called for a Future Generations Envoy to ensure fairness. These initiatives all demonstrate that there are practical steps you can take that help improve intergenerational decision-making.
IGF assessment framework
The summer foresight retreat will have a particular focus on how to activate the Intergenerational Fairness principle through assessment. At SOIF, we have been working for many years to develop better approaches to intergenerational fairness and brought these together in our IGF assessment framework. The assessment helps scrutinise and assess decisions and policies for their impact on present and future generations. It supports leaders to make fairer decisions and can be applied by national and local governments, independent institutions, international organisations, foundations, businesses and special interest groups.
You will also have opportunities to learn from SOIF’s IGF network. We have been convening people interested in this issue, with an aim to create products, coalitions, capability, and conversations with our wider community that:
- demonstrate issues of intergenerational unfairness in specific and meaningful terms
- engage citizens in ways that motivate action, and accountability, to give a political voice to those most affected
- provide the information, tools and skills necessary for leaders and policymakers to make fairer decisions.
- embed incentives towards increased intergenerational fairness within communities, countries, regions and across global systems.
What will you gain?
Participants joining us at the retreat will gain a deep understanding of the IGF principle. During the five days, participants will
- Hear from practitioners in youth and institutional spaces.
- Explore how IGF as a principle complements futures work in driving better decisions and incentivising longer-term thinking for all generations.
- Gain hands-on experience with the IGF assessment framework
The retreat will take place from 24th to 28th July in the UK, with limited places available. To join our retreat or to learn more, please get in touch with us at learning@soif.org.uk or visit our website.