The rise of the constitutional protection of future generations

Abstract

Prior to the visible impacts of the climate crisis, societal attention was largely fixed on the present, with the future remaining silent and overlooked. Yet, beginning in the early 2000s, the increasing credibility of climate science began to move concern for future generations from moral discourse to a legal and judicial one, particularly evident in climate litigation. Over time, debates have unfolded 2 around the rights, interests, and legal status of future generations, gradually shaping and clarifying their position within the legal framework.