Finalmente, dopo ispirazioni sfumate e vani tentativi, eccomi qua ad inaugurare il blog! E a presentarvi ciò che ho scritto nel fine settimana per candidarmi ad un interessantissimo progetto dedicato ai giovani europei, www.europeanvalues.net. La domanda alla quale dare delle risposte è: "Come possiamo assumerci la responsabilità verso le generazioni future su temi come economia ed ambiente?". Semplice, semplice. Insomma, speriamo di non aver buttato giù troppe castronate ed incrociamo le dita. Mi scuso con chi non ha familiarità con l'inglese, tranquilli che prima o poi scriverò qualcosa anche in italiano! Ovviamente commenti e suggerimenti sono più che graditi.
According to the basic ethical maxim of the German philosopher Hans Jonas (1979), “The consequences of our actions must be compatible with the permanence of human life on earth”. In my opinion, we can allow future generations the flexibility to operate within their own values system and do not require one generation to predict the values of another, only as long as we safeguard the three fundamental principles of diversity, quality and access. In other terms, there are rights of each generation to receive the planet in no worse condition than did the previous one, to inherit comparable diversity in the natural and cultural heritage, and to have equitable access to the use and benefits of the legacy.
If our goal is to build up a political community, rooted both on the will of its citizens and the power of its member states, what we need to do at a first step is to rethink the actual EU policy-making system, based on the citizens’ periodically right of vote. I frankly believe we must improve it by introducing more direct citizens participation elements and praxis; for instance, by taking advantage of the effective communication internet-based tools. What I would suggest is to set up an online platform, managed by the EVN, where all EU citizens can present and discuss their opinions concerning the chosen policy-issues (e.g. topics of EVN’s Policy Papers, or general issues as Energy, Ecology, Institutions, Foreign Affairs, Media, Health, Human Rights, Borders, Sustainability, Immigration, etc.). The outcomes of the ongoing-debate should be periodically, every six months or one year, resumed in structured Policy Papers to be given to EU institutions, member states’ institutions and medias.
In addition, we would be able to comply with responsibility to the future generations as long as we immediately think and act in a long-term approach, at two different fundamental levels: people system of ethics and policy making. Future generations’ rights must be set as a priority in the EU political agenda, in order to carry on a long-term strategy aimed at pursue our life attitude’s change, which would enable to leave our children a not worse world. Campaigns and actions need to be taken in all places where people gather (schools, universities, companies, malls, stadiums, airports, market-squares, etc.) for creating awareness of needed changes and making them responsible to the rights of upcoming generations. This new future-oriented system of ethics (less consume and more savings, less pollution, more public transport, critic shopping, etc.), to become effective in safeguarding the prospects of generations to come, need to be translated into changes in positive law in both member states’ constitutions and the drafted EU constitution.
At the policy making level, I would suggest to carry on the following drastic long-term policies and actions:
- stop national debt: make member states decrease their outstanding national debts, band advertisements which encourage the debt-oriented life attitude;
- stop oil and nuclear energy as non-sustainable sources: enhance and support both research and use of the clean energy sources, create the conditions to promote effectively the hydrogen car (as in Island with an hydrogen-driven public transport), enhance public transport systems, fix new air-traffic thresholds and band old highly polluted aircrafts, encourage the waste-recycling culture;
- tackle poverty as one of the main causes of ecological degradation and violence: encourage successful micro credit experiences;
- improve job opportunities: promote self-employment and entrepreneurship, school to work programs and worked-based training, oblige member states to provide all citizens with fast internet access.
In conclusion, EVN should support an “Intergenerational Justice Network” made by all the associations, think tank, companies and institutions, which share the will to leave future generations at least a not worse world.
