Defined Duties for the Protection of the Rights of Future Generations in International Instruments (with Emphasis on Environmental Preservation)

Abstract

The rights of future generations as reflected in international instruments constitute the central subject of examination in this study. The rights of future generations signify that natural resources and the environment, which have been inherited by the present generation from previous generations, must be preserved and transmitted to future generations. This concept is grounded in the principle of intergenerational justice and the safeguarding of the rights of future generations, and it is regarded as one of the fundamental issues in international environmental law. The human rights system has, to date, undergone three significant and vital generations of development. The first generation encompasses civil and political rights; the second generation comprises economic, social, and cultural rights; and the third generation concerns solidarity rights. In the context of the third generation—and even beyond it—the issue of the rights of future generations has emerged. In order to preserve its survival and well-being, humanity is compelled, in light of legal principles, regional and global customs, and international transnational instruments, to take into account the observance of the rights of future generations. The hypothesis advanced and substantiated in this research is that the rights of future generations in international instruments may attain an independent status and, through international treaties, oblige states to comply with them in the sphere of environmental advancement and protection. This study has been conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and is based on library research sources.