Intergenerational rights to a sustainable future: insights for climate justice and tourism

Citizens of the world are calling for climate action at the national and international levels. In those places slow to respond, climate litigation has emerged as a method that activists are using to force action. Of the 700 or so pending cases, the climate litigation presently garnering the most attention is Juliana v. United States where 21 youth have challenged the actions of the federal government for knowingly creating and exacerbating climate change. Others have taken to the streets to challenge government inaction on climate change. In both instances, courts are often left as de facto policy makers. This paper seeks to document the precedent-setting Juliana v. United States case and understand the implication of the actions of young climate advocates as they seek to defend their rights to a sustainable future. The paper also explores such youth and civic activism and inaction in relation to “sustainable” tourism. It calls for better consideration of the needs of children and young people in discussions of climate justice and tourism, particularly the future generations of children and youth who stand to bear the brunt of climate change impacts in the Global North and South.