Writing in advance of the United Nations Summit of the Future, Christiana Figueres reflects on the Pact for the Future. Figueres, a climate negotiator, podcast host, and co-founder of Global Optimism, argues that the continued exploitation of fossil fuels amounts to a theft of our collective future. Citing the surge in fossil fuel company profits since the start of the war in Ukraine, she warns that a destabilized climate threatens the very structure of our societiesYet she remains hopeful, seeing an opportunity to reshape decision-making around the wellbeing of future generations. Prosperity, to her, can be seen in the wellbeing of the many. Following a recent open letter of Nobel Laureates calling for a transition away from fossil fuels, Figueres observes renewed confidence in multilateralism, but cautions against preserving global cooperation at the expense of bold action for the future. Focusing instead on the duty to preserve a liveable planet, she calls on others to reimagine our relationships with the planet and each other. She highlights the Declaration on Future Generations, drafted by UN member states after broad consultation with Indigenous communities, youth, civil society, scholars, and others. She calls on those profiting from fossil fuels to use their ingenuity to build the clean energy systems needed now and stresses the need for governments to align their policies with sustainability, equity, and intergenerational solidarity.
