How is the climate crisis being tackled in UK courts?

The success of the landmark climate lawsuit against fossil fuel company Shell serves as a reminder that companies and governments can be held accountable for their failure to protect the environment. IF senior researcher Melissa Bui outlines a number of ongoing climate lawsuits that are bringing forward similar legal challenges upon the government and key… Read more »

German government ordered to protect future generations

Germany’s highest court has ordered its government to revise its climate change legislation by the end of the year, ruling that current targets do not sufficiently protect the rights of future generations. IF senior researcher, Melissa Bui, explains the importance of framing intergenerational fairness as a rights issue and urges other high courts to follow… Read more »

Carbon emissions are declining despite economic growth in 32 countries

Recent figures released by the Breakout Institute suggest that 32 countries around the world have been able to reduce their emissions whilst achieving economic growth since 2005. IF researcher, Melissa Bui, explains what it means to “absolutely decouple” emissions from economic growth and how the UK is performing in this respect.  

New report finds no sign of a Green Brexit

Greener UK, a coalition of environmental organisations in the UK, have recently released their final report which outlines how far the UK has progressed with implementing a “Green Brexit”. The conclusion of their results is clear: not much overall. Why has there been so little progress in environmental policy since 2016? IF researcher, Melissa Bui,… Read more »

Homeownership denied: an intergenerational injustice

There is real concern that the younger generation will have a lower standard of living than their parents – which violates a key principle of intergenerational fairness. One issue at the centre of this concern is housing. IF supporter Rosie Neville sees it from her perspective and offers some solutions

The intergenerational effects of air pollution

Exposure to higher levels of air pollution among mothers affects the likelihood of their grandchildren going to university 40 years later, according to new research from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). IF intern Hugh Nicholl looks at the implications of these findings from an intergenerational perspective and asks what the government’s… Read more »

Book Review: #futuregen

When Jane Davidson was Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales from 2007 to 2011 she became a leading architect of the groundbreaking Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015). In her new book, #Futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country, she tells the story and relays her vision. Our reviewer, IF Research Intern Hugo… Read more »

Plagues and Intergenerational Justice

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that future generations have to be protected by wise precautions – both medically and economically. Jörg Tremmel, professor at the Institute of Political Science at the Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany, shows how intergenerational interests are served by an assertive vaccination policy.