The future of Europe as seen by EU citizens
This report examines intergenerational fairness (IGF) through the analysis of 700 stories selected from a larger dataset of 4.015 citizen contributions gathered through the #OurFutures initiative. These stories were chosen for their explicit reference to IGF-related themes, including care for future generations, sustainability, and cross-generational collaboration.
The analysis is organised around two core domains:
(1) Care for future generations and sustainable solutions, encompassing planetary stewardship, economic sustainability, and education for long-term thinking; and
(2) Intergenerational care and collaboration, focusing on solidarity across age groups, youth empowerment, and elder care.
A strong emphasis on environmental sustainability is evident, with frequent references to climate responsibility, ecosystem regeneration, and circular economic models. Social sustainability also features prominently, including calls for robust healthcare and eldercare systems, mechanisms for knowledge transfer across cohorts, and support for the most vulnerable generations, particularly youth and older adults. Some demographic variation is observed in how different age groups articulate IGF-related visions.
Key tensions identified in the data include the trade-off between environmental protection and economic growth, the pace of innovation versus cultural continuity, and the allocation of policy attention between younger and older generations.
This analysis supports the development of foresight-informed policymaking by providing citizen-derived insights into values, expectations, and perceived trade-offs related to intergenerational fairness in the European context.
BOL Erica;
DEPREZ Steff;
VAN GOOL MALDONADO Claudia;
NOVAK Marjeta;
2026-03-26
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC143943
978-92-68-37887-8 (online),
1831-9424 (online),
EUR 40648,
OP KJ-01-26-082-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC143943,
10.2760/1389263 (online),
