Safeguarding future rights for future generations

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15513 | 28 April 2022

Signatories:

Ms Margreet De BOER, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Thórhildur Sunna ÆVARSDÓTTIR, Iceland, SOC ; Ms Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Ms Marina BERLINGHIERI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Marina CAROBBIO GUSCETTI, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Irakli CHIKOVANI, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Jeremy CORBYN, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Heike ENGELHARDT, Germany, SOC ; Mr Even ERIKSEN, Norway, SOC ; Ms María FERNÁNDEZ, Spain, SOC ; Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Blerina GJYLAMETI, Albania, SOC ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ LIMONES, Spain, SOC ; Mr Domagoj HAJDUKOVIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland, SOC ; Mr Christophe LACROIX, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Pere LÓPEZ, Andorra, SOC ; Ms Ada MARRA, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Luz MARTINEZ SEIJO, Spain, SOC ; Mr Givi MIKANADZE, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Dmytro NATALUKHA, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Ms Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Bob van PAREREN, Netherlands, EC/DA ; Ms Esther PEÑA, Spain, SOC ; Mr Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Ms Selin SAYEK BÖKE, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Lise SELNES, Norway, SOC ; Ms Petra STIENEN, Netherlands, ALDE ; Ms Tamar TALIASHVILI, Georgia, SOC ; Ms Ingvild Wetrhus THORSVIK, Norway, ALDE ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Many current policy decisions in Council of Europe member States have long-lasting impacts on the world’s future generations. In certain cases, current policy decisions will also determine the human rights fulfilment available to future generations. Policies regarding climate change are an example: the effectiveness in halting climate change will strongly influence future generations' fulfilment of their right to life, development, and health.

The Parliamentary Assembly has addressed the importance of the impact of current policy on future generations on several occasions. In Resolution 2396 (2021) “Anchoring the right to a healthy environment: need for enhanced action by the Council of Europe” and Resolution 2415 (2022) “Inaction on climate change - a violation of children's rights”, reinforce States' responsibility to protect and improve the environment for both present and future generations, as included in the Stockholm Declaration. Resolution 2023 (2014) “Measuring and fostering the well-being of European citizens” holds policy makers responsible for enhancing collective well-being for the benefit of both present and future generations. Resolution 2197 (2018) “The case for a basic citizenship income” urges States to undertake socio-economic reforms to ensure decent living conditions and adequate social protection for present and future generations. However, the Assembly has never made a comprehensive assessment of the future rights for future generations, and the State obligations related to them.

The Assembly should therefore comprehensively assess how existing human rights can lead to future rights for future generations, and how intergenerational State responsibility to protect, respect and fulfil these rights for future generations can be established. In this assessment, the possibilities to embed future rights for future generations in the Council of Europe system should be explored.