Ch. 3.3. On SD metrics and intergenerational equity: How current decisions affect the fan of available choices for future generations?

This operational question addresses the development of SD metrics that can be used to evaluate proposals and take decisions. These metrics should account for the fact that there is fundamental uncertainty on how future generations will value different aspects of what we consider today as “wellbeing”.

For example, let’s consider the metric proposed in ch. 3.3, based on the concept of SD as “non declining inclusive wealth”. My point is that, if the expected inclusive wealth of two alternative choices is the same, then the choice that leave more doors open for future generation’s quest for their wellbeing would have to be preferred. This idea is very close to the concept of reversibility of impacts, which is one of the commonly used yardstick in the environmental impact assessment of projects.

Can sustainability science develop metrics able to capture the degree of reversibility of different options, in terms on their environmental and socioeconomical consequences?

I found two papers, in very different areas, very inspiring in this respect. The paper by Foster et al. deals with the legacy of land-use activities on future ecosystem structures and services (and hence wellbeing, by applying the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment framework). The paper by Hidalgo et al. explores how the product space of countries influence their development, and constraint their future economic activities. I see a connection between the two works, as they both contribute to understanding to what extent past choices will condition future ranges of choices. I think this is central to the debate on intergenerational equity.

 References

Hidalgo, B. Klinger, A.-L. Barabási, R. Hausmann (2007). The Product Space Conditions the Development of Nations Economies. Science 317, 482

Foster et al.  (2003). The Importance of Land-Use Legacies to Ecology and Conservation. • BioScience Vol. 53 No. 1