Giving Voice to the Future Generations - Bringing Future Generations to the Debate on Green Transformation in Poland through Deliberation Using the Imaginary Future Generations Method.

The climate crisis has unleashed a series of doubts about what kind of future awaits us as a society. In the debate about social adaptation and acceptance of new climate policies, due to the longevity of the transition processes, it is essential to consider the fairness of the transformation process for current, but also for future generations. Although the role of future generations in the green transformation has been noted (cf. Jones et al. 2018), there is a lack of research on the procedural use of the category of future generations. Future generations are often referred to in political speech, media discourses, and scientific studies, but the “future generation” reference may be more than a rhetorical figure. Is it possible to gain insights into the worldview of values of future generations? If so, how can we give future generations a voice so they can speak for themselves?

The Imaginary Future Generations (IFG) method (see Hara et al. 2019) proposed the creation of imaginary groups that would represent future generations (not yet born) and negotiate with representatives of the current generation regarding visions of the future and related decision-making processes. In this way, future generations could become one of the stakeholders in the deliberation process. The method thus bridges the gap between the need for intergenerational justice and listening to the many different grassroots visions of the future, which has contributed to choosing sustainable regional policies while ensuring acceptance and understanding by the currently living local societies.

In the presentation, I’ll show the results of the application of the IFG method in deliberation about green transformation policies (shift from coal, housing policies, transportation policies, biodiversity protection) in Poland, comparing visions of the future and the needs and goals expressed by the current and future generations during participatory workshops conducted in 2024.