Coalition 2030, a civil society alliance committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is calling on the Irish Government to establish a Future Generations Commissioner (FGC) to ensure the long-term well-being of future generations in Ireland. The call comes from the Coalition’s newly released report, “A Call to Action for Future Generations: Taking Irish Leadership on Intergenerational Equity Forward.”

With the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York just finished, Co-Chair of the Coalition, Johnny Sheehan, said, “The Summit has agreed on a new ambitious Pact that includes a pledge to move faster towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Government can build on Ireland’s leadership in intergenerational equity by taking decisive action and establishing a Future Generations Commissioner to ensure the long-term well-being of future generations.”

“The Coalition’s report, A Call to Action for Future Generations, highlights the urgent need to safeguard the rights of future generations across social, economic, environmental, and cultural domains. The report draws on precedents such as Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner, offering a pathway for the Irish Government to follow.”

Coalition 2030 is calling on the Irish Government to:

• Commit Now to a Future Generations Commissioner
  • Coalition 2030 calls on the Taoiseach and the Government to immediately commit to establishing a Future Generations Commissioner (FGC) for Ireland. This role would ensure autonomy, adequate resources, and the protection of future generations from environmental, economic, and social risks.
• Raise Public Awareness
  • The Coalition stresses the importance of raising public awareness and support for the FGC through creative and inclusive initiatives. Engaging the public and Government bodies in the value of intergenerational equity is essential to safeguarding the well-being of future generations.
• Leverage International Precedents
  • The report offers relevant precedents, such as the Welsh Future Generations Commissioner, which can serve as pathways to fast-track the establishment of the FGC in Ireland.
• Undertake Due Diligence
  • The Government should embark on a scoping study to determine the remit, scope, and governance structure for the FGC. An inclusive consultation with key civil society stakeholders, particularly those from vulnerable and marginalised communities, should guide this process.

• Engage Stakeholders
  • Engage key stakeholders in designing, establishing and operating a FGC across civil society.
• Build on Ireland’s Leadership in Intergenerational Equity
  • Ireland has been a global leader in intergenerational justice, spearheading negotiations for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Establishing an FGC would align with this legacy, ensuring that today’s decisions do not compromise the well-being of future generations.

Catherine Carty, UNESCO Chair at Munster Technological University and Coalition 2030 Steering Group Member said, “The Pact agreed at the United Nations Summit of the Future offers Ireland a critical opportunity to act on its long-standing commitments to future generations. The Pact, which the Irish Government has signed, includes a declaration on securing future generations’ well-being, highlighting the need to include their interests in decision-making processes.”

Catherine added, “We are running out of time to safeguard the well-being of future generations. In A Call to Action for Future Generations, Coalition 2030 echoes the urgency called for by the UN. Protecting our future generations starts with us, starts here, and starts now”.