The climate generations contract

Sebastian Helgenberger, Institute for Transformative Sustainability Research (IASS) Potsdam. His research group assesses social and economic opportunities of climate protection and energy transition. He advises policy-makers and expert organisations inside and outside Germany.

Acting today determines the reality of tomorrow: Today's greenhouse gas emissions remain in the atmosphere and determine how extreme the Earth system will continue to heat up in the coming decades. Not only the climatic interactions, but also the economic and social consequences occur with a deceptive time lag. Those it affects - today's young generation - are not yet in the decision-making positions; and those who make key political and economic decisions today will no longer be affected by the massive consequences. In between, there is a dangerous responsibility gap. Climate change is already a reality - heat waves and yield losses in agriculture and forestry are increasing noticeably. But we can still prevent the uncontrollable climate catastrophe today. How do we manage to transform cross-generational conflicts of interest into jointly exercised responsibility with mutual respect and agreement?