At the Civic Forum, I sit beside my grandmother. We’re reviewing the latest climate adaptation plans, co-designed by citizens of all ages. The decisions aren’t easy, but they’re transparent and rooted in the best available knowledge. She remembers a time when the future was something to control with top-down strategies tried to lock it in. But today, we treat it more like a shared horizon, shaped by evidence, memory, and care. We accept uncertainty, but we don’t ignore it.

Before any major decision, we hold Nature Consultations. Scientists, artists, citizens, young and old, come together to interpret signals from ecosystems as part of our democratic process. We ask: What’s right for those who come after us? What does the living world need to thrive? We treat our natural environment as a partner to work with.

Gran says our institutions have changed. We govern now through a balance of voice and structure, assemblies, local initiatives, and accountable institutions working in concert. Fairness doesn’t stop at income or identity. The carbon budget is shared between generations and care flows through age-inclusive systems. Technology is not worshipped. Every major innovation is reviewed by intergenerational panels.

The European Union I’m part of is a cooperative voice, building agreements that last while not shying away from disagreement when equity, climate, or peace are at stake. The future used to feel distant. Now, I see it in every decision we make.