4 December 2014: SustainUS and the Australian National University (ANU) organized a side event at the Lima Climate Change Conference on ‘Youth Proposals for the 2015 Agreement: Intergenerational Equity and Bypassing US Ratification.’ The side event covered a range of proposals on the UNFCCC negotiations, such as incorporating social discount rate considerations into Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and recognizing the role of intergenerational education for youth empowerment.

Timothy Damon, SustainUS, introduced the concept of intergenerational equity, saying it is drawn from a long tradition of moral and legal philosophy that includes the “chain of obligation” principle. He addressed its legal precedents, including Article 3 of the UNFCCC (Principles). Damon focused on the utilization of social discount rates, explaining their economic rationale and main criticisms. He called for the 2015 agreement on climate change to include intergenerational equity as a principle.

Federico Brocchieri, Youth Section National Coordinator, Italian Climate Network, addressed ways to realize intergenerational equity. On governance, he called for decentralized cooperation, co-decision making and capacity building. He said youth participation can be promoted through official youth delegates and that education should include environmental curriculum. He suggested protected areas (PAs) for renewable energy exploitation and vertical farms as options for increasing intergenerational equity in the fields of energy and agriculture, respectively.

Focusing on the legal aspects of the Italian proposals, Francesca Mingrone, Youth Section, Italian Climate Network, described proposals to: provide legal rights to future generations; create an international court to address similar considerations; and enhance the role of national constitutions in intergenerational equity.

Luke Kemp, ANU, addressed US ratification, noting that the “politically toxic” climate in the US makes ratification of ambitious agreements unlikely. He focused on executive agreements and section 115 of the Clean Air Act on International Air Pollution to conclude that opt-out protocols have a higher degree of ratification. Kemp stressed that a more incremental approach may foster agreement in the US.

In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: the feasibility of a shift towards renewables; carbon pricing; and the leverage point for youth. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [SustainUS Website] [ANU Website]