Intergenerational Ambition

What is Intergenerational Ambition and how can we achieve it?

Over the last six months I have been collating a resource that explores the Aotearoa context for intergenerational fairness and future generations. The UN Declaration on Future Generations was a great catalyst for conversation but we are the people who must create the way forward.  Intergenerational Ambition: A Wayfinding Tool for the Future was created over a six month deep dive taking the global conversations of Intergenerational Fairness and future generations into our local context. The 52 page resource provides insights from the Aotearoa New Zealand context, encouraging you to explore ideas and make meaning for your setting.

The resource builds on the idea that:

Intergenerational fairness is about all of us having our needs met. This includes the diversity of today’s people
while also considering those yet to be born.

The Wayfinding Metaphor

The guiding metaphor that underpins Intergenerational Ambition relates to our place in the Blue Pacific, an island nation in Oceania. In particular the following quote connected my thinking and influenced the imagery in the resource.

What is in the resource?

Intergenerational Ambition: A Wayfinding Tool for the Future is a free downloadable pdf available from Think Beyond, no sign in required. It shares many useful links and ideas to help you understand some of the key ideas related to intergenerational thinking and future generations. Note: You will need to download this so that you can click on the many links provided. Be prepared to dive down rabbit holes to explore the many examples that bring hope to the conversation.

The resource is divided into three sections, as follows:

Part 1
Explores intergenerational fairness, its background and some of the key ideas that underpin this work. It also explores what this means through the context of Aotearoa and local connections to Otautahi Christchurch.

Part 2
Shares examples where the seeds of intergenerational fairness already exist, focusing particularly on Ōtautahi but also exploring the wider context of Aotearoa and beyond. The resource has many pages that have multiple links in the form of ‘islands’, providing practical examples of ripple of change that we can build on. These acknowledge and celebrate the pockets of promise while encouraging the extension and connection of these example across the landscape.

Part 3
Shares practical ideas of how individuals, groups, communities, organisations, local and national governments
can get started or expand their ideas in this space.

Intergenerational fairness—ensuring that policy decisions today don’t unfairly burden future generations—is increasingly relevant in discussions about climate change, housing, education, and economic policy. In focusing specifically on the Aotearoa New Zealand context, I have taken the global ideas and tried to make sense of them for our place. In doing so this has been a personal wayfinding experience and an opportunity to connect with others working in this space. In particular I would like to acknowledge tangata whenua, my Māori colleagues and friends who weave time together, create strategy for 100+ years and wonder what all the fuss is about. It is just common sense.

Policy for Public Good

Another resource, written by the team at WEAll Aotearoa has just launched, and is recommended reading. Policy for the Public Good: A Local Government Guide shares 100 common-sense, evidence-based policies for local councils, along with 80 real-world case studies. 

Your action

Intergenerational Ambition: A Wayfinding Tool for the Future sits above party politics to the common interest we all have in future generations. Please use it as a catalyst for navigating a hopeful future and as a call to action. The first action is to read it and become familiar with some of the ideas it, and the Policy for Public Good suggest. As a citizen, organisation or leader you actions do influence the future and the legacy we leave for future generations.

In the next post I will share one simple way of continuing the conversation in the lead up to local body elections. Please reach out and share your ideas and stories so we can all learn together.

UN Declaration on Future Generations

Cover Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay