Flexibility for intergenerational justice in climate resilience decision-making: an application on sea-level rise in the Netherlands

Abstract To adapt to a changing climate, decision-makers design, evaluate, and implement measures that have an implication of justice on citizens in the present well into future. Decision-makers are often required make decisions without certainty consequences understanding their effects intergenerational justice. Thus, managing impacts climate change requires novel decision-aiding approaches consider impacts’ temporal spatial heterogeneity uncertainty predictions, preferences, values. We reviewed literature extent which principles justice—conservation options resources for future generations—have been integrated traditional resilience decision-making. explore flexibility, i.e., conservation expansion subsequent decision periods, can contribute upholding under uncertainty. illustrate approach case Delta Programme Netherlands, complex system designed protect against sea-level rise (SLR). Designing adaptation strategies SLR with flexibility as core concept brings significant advantages circumstances The flexible pathways, this case, contributes Our civilization’s long-term sustainability survival may depend individuals see beyond gains toward collective society at scale.