La tutela delle future generazioni nel diritto internazionale: regola, principio o valore?

Is the protection of the interests of future generation the content of customary rules or principles of international law, or rather only a value? The contribution, by assessing the relevant treaty practice, case law and soft law, concludes that, at the present moment, that protection amounts to neither a customary rule nor a general principle of international law. Rather, the protection finds its way into international law via the source of general principles recognized by municipal systems. The author argues that addressing the debate in terms of future generations may be misleading and difficult to articulate in positive general rules. It would be better to translate the values underlying the debate as the need to take into consideration damages caused by present conducts in the future, for the environment, peace, sustainable public debts etc.