Intergenerational Equity

Intergenerational equity is a conception of justice or fairness regarding the distribution or the availability of material and social goods for future generations. According to proponents of this concept and its application, members of each generation possess a natural and cultural inheritance from past generations and, thus, are beneficiaries as well as custodians with a duty to pass along key aspects and benefits of this heritage to future generations. Issues pertaining to the concept of intergenerational equity that have been raised and debated include ecology and sustainable development, income or social security, accumulation and payment of national debt, educational investments, health care, and technological risks and benefits.

Although obligations to future generations have long been expressed in political philosophy and governance documents, the concept of intergenerational ...