"Not Ours to Own: The Significance of Intergenerational Equity for the Environment"

"Petitioners minors assert that they represent their generations as well as generations yet unborn. We find no difficulty in ruling that they can, for themselves, for others of their generation and for the succeeding generations, file a class suit... Needless to say, every generation has a responsibility to the next to preserve that rhythm and harmony for the full enjoyment of a balanced and healthful ecology. Put a little differently, the minors' assertion of their right to a sound environment constitutes, at the same time, the performance of their obligation to ensure the protection of that right for the generations to come."

The ruling is significant as it gives an otherwise abstract principle shape and form in such a way that it can influence future policy-making and judicial processes. In essence, the Oposa v. Factoran case shows the rest of the world how applying the principle of intergenerational equity in concrete cases gives substantial weight to a state decision, ensuring that the said decision takes into account that the natural resources we have today are by no means only ours to own. 

Intergenerational equity should be precept that we use to approach the pressing issue of climate change as 2017 has been riddled with examples of nature's raw ferocity when it has been altered. Unfortunately, it seems that high-category hurricanes and wind-whipped fires in all corners of the globe are not enough for policy-makers to address the issue of climate change in a progressive way. In fact, one can say that with the clear reticence of the United States to execute international environmental frameworks that are already in place, the world may actually regress in terms of its climate policies.

 Climate change puts all the three aspects of intergenerational equity at risk. The severely altered conditions of the Earth may lead to the depletion of the diversity of natural resources as many species of flora and fauna are unable to adapt to the changes in temperature and extreme weather fluctuations. This means that the options of the future generation when it comes to the natural resource base can be severely diminished. At the same time, major changes to the climate will inadvertently degrade the quality of living conditions in different parts of the world. 

This becomes a problem of equity especially when favorable climates are only afforded to certain parts of the globe while rendering other parts with major difficulties. Harsh climate changes will also impinge upon the welfare of future generations. They will be the ones who bear the brunt of the burden, especially the future generation of developing countries that are expecting worse climate conditions as they would have the least resilience to the changing climate. 

States who are already having difficulties in accessing the resource base may find themselves in a more difficult situation when they are faced with fickle weather patterns. Basically, climate change will only exacerbate the economic division that already exists between states, and perpetuate that disparity into the future (Weiss, Climate Change, Intergenerational Equity, and International Law, 2008). 

Future generations will come and take our place, but on what kind of Earth they stand upon after we have gone will depend upon the choices we make today. Our environmental policies cannot be approached simply by taking into account the needs of the present generation, as the environment's existence will extend beyond our years. Sustaining the planet and all its life-support systems and ecological processes for the welfare is our generation's obligation so that we may ensure equitable rights for generations to come.

References

Beder, S. (2000). Costing the Earth: Equity, Sustainable Development and Environmental Economics. University of Wollonggong.

Weiss, E. B. (1992). Intergenerational equity: a legal framework for global environmental change. In E. B. Weiss, Environmental change and international law: New challenges and dimensions. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.

Weiss, E. B. (2008). Climate Change, Intergenerational Equity, and International Law. Georgetown University Law.