During the UN Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, a 13 year old girl, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, made an appeal to countries to act in a way that would consider future generations. It was an important moment that captures the world’s attention. Watch the video below.
Now, 25 years later, Severn Cullis-Suzuki continues to work for intergenerational justice.
This concept was coined in 1974 when economist James Tobin wrote: “Those that administer the institutions of today are the guardians of the future…their work is to admiister in a way that preserves equity between generations.” Intergenerational justice is a concept that links sustainable development, social justice, the rights of children and youth and climate change.
We invite you to watch the message that Severn Cullis-Suzuki sends to the participants of GRULAC Junior.
[If you haven’t already registered, please do so before March 17th to be placed into a commission.]
Hello participants of GRULAC Junior. My name is Severn Cullis Suzuki and I am speaking to you from Vancouver Canada, the city where I grew up and the headquarters of the David Suzuki Foundation.
I want to congratulate you on the beginning of the work that you have started at your international conference.
When I was just a child, I began speaking up for intergenerational justice and today I continue this work. But a generation later I am speaking for my children’s future.
Climate Change is the example of intergenerational injustice; this is a huge global problem that we have inherited from previous generations but that we must deal with in order to protect future generations.
And climate change is here. We are feeling it already.
This is an incredible time to be alive because all of our efforts all of our actions all of our inactions are making a difference. They are influencing the path of humanity.
I believe that together we can influence the path of this story in a positive direction. It’s going to take a lot of work but I believe that we have a chance.
So once again, I want to thank you for stepping up to this cause, for this exciting work. And I want to say keep it up, together we can do this.