In his report Our Common Agenda (2021) the UN Secretary-General proposed the appointment of a Special Envoy for Future Generations.
The UNSG noted that the Special Envoy could be tasked with representing the interests of those who are expected to be born over the coming century, and that the Special Envoy could also support the work of the multilateral system on long-term thinking and foresight. In addition, he proposed that “One of the first tasks of the Special Envoy could be to explore, together with Member States, the use of the Trusteeship Council to give a voice to succeeding generations.”
Considerable traction has been generated for the establishment of the UN Special Envoy for Future Generations to be made in conjunction with the Summit of the Future to be held in September 2024.
In addition, the World Future Council calls for the appointment of similar Representatives of Future Generations at regional, national and local levels with authority to design and review policies to safeguard their rights. (See World Future Council proposal to the UN Summit of the Future). The Office of the Wales Commissioner for Future Generations, established by the 2015 Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (Wales), is an example of such a body that has already been established. For additional examples, see the Network of Institutions for Future Generations.
The Earth Governance ImPACT Coalition and the ImPACT Coalition on Future Generations, established at the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference, are working together to promote the proposal in the context of the UN Summit of the Future.