2023 Volume 16 Issue 1 Pages 1-10
Attempts to consider the interests and rights of future generations are gaining academic and public attention as harmful effects of political short-termism, such as delay in climate action, become tangible. We summarize four potential sources of political short-termism and two normative reasons in favor of addressing it. Subsequently, we categorize real-world examples of future generations consideration institutions into eleven types and review them. The functions of these institutions can be classified into monitoring and fostering. The monitoring function plays a role in checking whether regulated entities appropriately consider the interests and rights of future generations when making decisions. The fostering function encourages decision-makers to engage in long-term thinking. Finally, we discuss the limitations of each type of institution and present recommendations for future research.
