Ombudsperson for future generations

On Tuesday, a broad coalition of political youth organisations handed over a manifesto on the establishment of an ombudsperson for future generations to state secretary Dijksma. The coalition consists of the Young Democrats, PerspectieF, DWARS, CDJA, PINK! and the Young Socialists. In the manifesto, the young people call for sustainability to be given a central place in government policy.

"At the moment, politics is still too often dominated by elections and thus for quick electoral gain," said Femke Nijsse of DWARS. "An ombudsperson is separate from this political circus." Julius Terpstra of the CDJA added: "The ideal of keeping the planet liveable for future generations should be shared by the entire political spectrum."

In terms of sustainability, the Netherlands is still often at the bottom of European rankings. Last year, the court ruled that the Dutch state was not fulfilling its duty of care to protect the environment, in the case brought by Urgenda. It was required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster. Healthy standards are also not met in terms of air pollution. The young people hope that by establishing an ombudsperson for future generations, the government will once again set an example in the field of sustainability. The presidency of the European Union is the ideal opportunity for this.