Why should we care about sustainability? Do we owe future generations anything at all? And if so, how should we balance their interests against our own?

This talk addresses these questions first as a philosophical matter, but it then applies the perspective of intergenerational justice to some practical topics that have recently dominated public debate, in particular questions of government finance, climat change, and the rule of law.

Prof. J.D. Ph.D. Neil H. Buchanan is an economist and Professor of Law at George Washington University, USA. His research addresses the taxing and spending policies of the federal government. He also is engaged in a long-running research project that asks how current policy choices should be shaped by concerns for the interests of future generations.