The Australian Financial Review --- Page: 62 : 12 April 2007 Original article by John Quiggin
ABIX Summary
Governments have to make assumptions about the future. The Australian Government published the "2007 Intergenerational Report", which looked at how the economy will fare in the years to 2050. The assumption is that those alive then, and those born between 2007 and 2050, need to have a sound economy to rely on. The same is true of the Stern report on global warming. This looks at the climate between 2007 and 2050. It assumes that future generations have equal rights to clean air, clean water and fertile soil as do the present generation. The implications of both reports are that public policy in the present must take account of future generations. Some Australians alive in 2007 will still be alive in 2050, so will see the effect of present day choices.
