Unpacking the Beyonds: Debt to the Future

By Mare de Wit, Future Ambassador, Water and Climate Adaptation

Our greatest inheritance is not what we leave behind, but what we pass on to the future. In today’s rush, we sometimes forget the far-reaching impacts of our decisions. What is now bureaucratically called a “residential development site” will soon become a home for the families of tomorrow – a place where children grow up and lives take shape. What we now technically refer to as a “reservation zone for a dike” will, in the future, be a silent protector – a safe boundary behind which generations can live, work, and dream, an icon that keeps not only water but also worries at bay.

The choices we make here and now shape the land, the lives, and the stories of future generations. What if we borrowed the eyes of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and looked at the choices we make today – our choices? Would we still make the same decisions?

That is a question we should ask ourselves more often. That is why I’ve initiated the Future at the Table. The goal is to ensure that the future has a permanent seat at the discussion table – not through an empty chair or a representative, but through ourselves. This initiative aims to offer an inspiring approach to steering a future-oriented course. One that does justice to both today’s residents and tomorrow’s needs, leaving behind a legacy for the inhabitants of the future. A legacy we can be proud of, because our greatest inheritance is not what we leave behind, but what we pass on to the future.

What is it?
The Future of the Netherlands is on the drawing board. The choices we make today shape the “new normal” of tomorrow. However, the voice of future generations is currently absent from these decisions, which can lead to burdens being passed on – a shortcoming acknowledged by the latest Cabinet (2024-2025) with its commitment to “not shifting problems onto our children and grandchildren.”

This is why, Future at the Table was launchedin February 2024, to ensure that these good intentions are truly embedded in practice – not only in the fields of water and climate adaptation but also in other sectors.

This initiative, led by yours truly and appointed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Delta Commissioner’s Office, and Rijkswaterstaat, aims to develop a practical approach that structurally integrates the perspectives of both current and future generations into policy development.

At the core of it lies a simple but crucial message: actions, not words. Let’s move beyond discussion and take concrete steps. By doing so, we can foster a culture where thinking about the future is no longer optional but becomes a structural and inspiring part of policy- and decision making.

This won’t happen automatically. Change needs champions. A crucial role in implementing this initiative is played by the Future Ambassador. With one foot firmly in practice and the other in society, the Future Ambassador acts as a figurehead and representative of the sector, actively contributing to a forward-looking cultural shift. In doing so, the sector becomes more accessible and receptive to society at large.

The Future Ambassador works alongside Future Friends – dedicated professionals who inspire and facilitate change within the workplace, helping integrate this new way of working. The water and climate adaptation sector is already highly future-oriented. This initiative will reinforce and elevate that approach. A sector that has shaped and safeguarded the Netherlands for decades is now in a unique position to lead the way in embedding Future at the Table into policy. There is a real opportunity to inspire other sectors to follow suit – especially at a time when the “new normal” is being established and when the principle of not shifting burdens onto the future is gaining broad recognition, both inside and outside the government.

An approach to involve, safeguard, and utilize the voice of the future

By acting with foresight today and bringing tomorrow into the conversation we can prevent today’s challenges from escalating into major crises for those who come after us. Long-term planning is not just about infrastructure – it is about shaping the future of our country and the lives of the people who will live in it.

To enhance trust and engagement among citizens of all generations, and towards identifying and preventing the transfer of burdens to future generations, the initiative focuses on three key actions:

1. Involving current generations (physically) and future generations (mentally) in policymaking by using the developed intergenerational stakeholder analysis and future design method;
2. Safeguarding decisions by assessing whether they shift burdens to the future, discussing necessary adjustments by using an intergenerational test, and conducting an intergenerational dialogue;
3. Utilizing these insights in decision making while ensuring that the influence of these steps is visible and measurable, by reporting the developed Future Impact Assessment where you “comply or explain” spill-over effects on future generations.

With this structured approach, Future at the Table offers a transparent and replicable methodology. It ensures that current and future generations are actively included in policymaking, their interests are safeguarded, and their input is effectively used in final decisions.

In essence, this means gathering insights, empathizing, evaluating, discussing, and carefully weighing decisions to ensure they do not place unnecessary burdens on future generations. This approach fosters responsible and sustainable policy development, for today and tomorrow.

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This article was originally published on 22 October 2025 by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on the SDG Knowledge Hub. It is part of a new Beyond Lab mini-series, in collaboration with IISD, themed, ‘Unpacking the Beyonds: Key Shifts Shaping the Future of Sustainable Development.’ The series aims to shed light on key concepts, or shifts, towards building a more resilient and sustainable future for people and the planet. The shifts, unpacked through this series, represent key themes of the ongoing Beyonds Challenge Initiative: constructive hope; regeneration; debt to the future; and the great unknowns. Also, in the spirit of the ‘Beyonds,’ they aim to sketch out the outlines of a future not yet written, aiming to take us beyond crisis narratives and fear, beyond resignation, and beyond short-term thinking, towards positive visions of the future and long-term sustainability.