Caring for the future at the time of transitions

Abstract

The protection of the future seems today to acquire a fully legal dimension. This happens above all in the face of crises, where the political decision-maker feels the need to broaden the time horizons of their decisions and adopt choices that also look to the future. This consideration is confirmed by reflecting on the revisions that have introduced explicit references to the future within the Italian Constitution. This happened in 2022 thanks to the amendment of art. 9 of the Constitution, where the interests of future generations now compose its text. This contribution aims to analyze the new formulation of art. 9, highlighting some critical issues but also their relevance in the context of the process of European integration