This article elaborates on ideas concerning future generations and whether they are useful in understanding some aspects of the concern for the global ecological commons. The article’s main scholarly contribution is to develop analytical tools for examining what a concern for future generations would require of current generations. It combines the scholarly literature on future generations with that of solidarity. The ideas concerning future generations are interpreted in terms of an ideal typical concept of solidarity with future generations. This concept is divided into four dimensions: the foundation of solidarity, the objective of solidarity, the boundaries of solidarity and the collective orientation. By applying these four dimensions in the context of the political process leading to Agenda 2030, the potentials and limitations of the concept are evident. The article concludes that the absence of reciprocity between current and future generations and uncertainty about the future are both crucial issues, which cut across the four dimensions. We cannot expect anything from people who have not yet been born, and we do not know what preferences they will have. This shows the vulnerability of forward-looking appeals to solidarity with future generations. Nevertheless, such appeals to solidarity may give global political processes a normative content and direction and can thereby contribute to understanding common concerns for the global ecological commons.

本文详细阐述了有关后代的想法，以及它们是否有助于理解对全球生态公地的关注的某些方面。这篇文章的主要学术贡献是开发分析工具，以检查对后代的关注需要当代人做什么。它结合了关于后代的学术文献和团结的文献。子孙后代的思想，是按照与子孙后代团结一致的理想典型概念来解释的。这个概念分为四个维度：团结的基础、团结的目标、团结的边界和集体的取向。通过在导致 2030 年议程的政治进程的背景下应用这四个方面，这一概念的潜力和局限性是显而易见的。文章的结论是，今世后代之间缺乏互惠性以及对未来的不确定性都是至关重要的问题，它们跨越了四个维度。我们不能对尚未出生的人抱有任何期望，也不知道他们会有什么偏好。这显示了前瞻性呼吁与子孙后代团结一致的脆弱性。然而，这种对团结的呼吁可能为全球政治进程提供规范的内容和方向，从而有助于理解对全球生态公地的共同关注。跨越四个维度。我们不能对尚未出生的人抱有任何期望，也不知道他们会有什么偏好。这显示了前瞻性呼吁与子孙后代团结一致的脆弱性。然而，这种对团结的呼吁可能为全球政治进程提供规范的内容和方向，从而有助于理解对全球生态公地的共同关注。跨越四个维度。我们不能对尚未出生的人抱有任何期望，也不知道他们会有什么偏好。这显示了前瞻性呼吁与子孙后代团结一致的脆弱性。然而，这种对团结的呼吁可能为全球政治进程提供规范的内容和方向，从而有助于理解对全球生态公地的共同关注。