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Intergenerational sustainability dilemma and a potential solution: Future ahead and back mechanism

Author

Listed:
  • Shibly Shahrier

    (Research Center for Future Design, Kochi University of Technology)

  • Koji Kotani

    (Research Center for Future Design, Kochi University of Technology)

  • Tatsuyoshi Saijo

    (Research Center for Future Design, Kochi University of Technology)

Abstract
Intergenerational sustainability is pivotal for the survival of human societies. However, current economic and political systems based on capitalism and democracy might not be effective at considering future generations’ needs, thereby compromising intergenerational sustainability (Schwartz, 2007, Shahrier et al., 2016, 2017). We design a new mechanism to improve intergenerational sustainability called the future ahead and back mechanism (FAB) and examine its effectiveness through field experiments consisting of intergenerational sustainability dilemma games (ISDGs). In such games, a lineup of consecutive generations is organized, and each generation can either maintain intergenerational sustainability (sustainable option) or maximize its own generation’s payoff by irreversibly imposing a cost on future generations (unsustainable option). In a basic ISDG, generations make the decision through deliberative democracy. In the ISDG with FAB, each generation is first asked to consider the decision of the current generation as if it is in the position of the next generation. Second, the generation makes the actual decision from its original position as the current generation. The results reveal that deliberative democracy does not prevent a majority of proself people from choosing unsustainable options, which is the mirror image of the results demonstrated in Hauser et al. (2014), thereby compromising intergenerational sustainability in the basic ISDG. By contrast, FAB is demonstrated to enable proself people to change their individual opinions from unsustainable to sustainable options, inducing more generations to choose sustainable options. We argue that the memories and experiences of what and how people request (or role-playing) as future generations in FAB trigger more logic-based reasoning than norm-based reasoning, thereby enhancing intergenerational sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Shibly Shahrier & Koji Kotani & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2017. "Intergenerational sustainability dilemma and a potential solution: Future ahead and back mechanism," Working Papers SDES-2017-9, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Aug 2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:kch:wpaper:sdes-2017-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pankaj Koirala & Raja Rajendra Timilsina & Koji Kotani, 2021. "Deliberative Forms of Democracy and Intergenerational Sustainability Dilemma," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Mostafa E. Shahen & Shibly Shahrier & Koji Kotani, 2019. "Happiness, Generativity and Social Preferences in a Developing Country: A Possibility of Future Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Hara, Keishiro & Miura, Iori & Suzuki, Masanori & Tanaka, Toshihiro, 2024. "Assessing future potentiality of technologies from the perspective of “imaginary future generations” – A case study of hydrothermal technology," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    4. Shun Katsuki & Yoichi Hizen, 2020. "Does Voting Solve the Intergenerational Sustainability Dilemma?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Saijo, Tatsuyoshi, 2017. "Future Design," Economic Review, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 68(1), pages 33-45, January.
      • Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2019. "Future Design," Working Papers SDES-2019-5, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Jun 2019.
    6. Zhang Jingchao & Koji Kotani & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2021. "Are societies becoming proself? A topographical difference under fast urbanization in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(9), pages 12976-12993, September.
    7. Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2020. "Future Design: Bequeathing Sustainable Natural Environments and Sustainable Societies to Future Generations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-21, August.
    8. Mostafa Shahen & Koji Kotani & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2020. "Does perspective-taking promote intergenerational sustainability?," Working Papers SDES-2020-12, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Sep 2020.
    9. Raja R. Timilsina & Yoshinori Nakagawa & Koji Kotani, 2020. "Exploring the Possibility of Linking and Incorporating Future Design in Backcasting and Scenario Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-14, November.
    10. Mostafa Shahen & Koji Kotani & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2020. "How do individuals behave in the intergenerational sustainability dilemma? A strategy method experiment," Working Papers SDES-2020-1, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised May 2020.
    11. Mostafa E. Shahen & Wada Masaya & Koji Kotani & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2020. "Motivational Factors in Intergenerational Sustainability Dilemma: A Post-Interview Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-16, August.
    12. Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2018. "Õåüà ãüûǶ¤Ã³Ï¼Š Æœ ǶŠå ¯Èƒ½Ã ªâ¾Ƒ然à ¨Ç¤¾Ä¼Šã‚’Å°†Æ ¥Ä¸–Ä»£Ã «Å¼•Ã Ƕ™Ã à Ÿã‚ à «," Working Papers SDES-2018-3, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Jul 2018.
    13. HARA Keishiro & KITAKAJI Yoko & SUGINO Hiroaki & YOSHIOKA Ritsuji & TAKEDA Hiroyuki & HIZEN Yoichi & SAIJO Tatsuyoshi, 2019. "Effects of Experiencing the Role of Imaginary Future Generations in Decision-Making - a Case Study of Participatory Deliberation in a Japanese Town -," Discussion papers 19104, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

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    Keywords

    Intergenerational sustainability dilemma; Capitalism and democracy; Culture and evolution; Future ahead and back mechanism;
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