In Fairness to Future Generations of Eaters

Abstract

Climate change threatens the supply and quality of traditional foods. To respond to this threat, this essay applies Professor Edith Brown Weiss’s principles of intergenerational equity to support a call for the protection of food heritage for future generations. The essay surveys some available international instruments but concludes that gaps still exist for addressing systemic threats such as climate change. It urges advocates to focus on expanding these international protections and incorporating considerations of intergenerational equity into our discussions of food protections.

Keywords: Climate Change, Food Justice, Environmental Justice, Agriculture, Intergenerational Equity, Food Systems

JEL Classification: K32, Q1, Q10, Q18