László Sólyom

Twenty years ago a complete overhaul of the political, legal, and institutional system took place in Hungary. The debates on pressing local and international environmental issues also left their mark on the spirit and the letter of the new Constitution: the right to a healthy environment was established. As new investments are being poured into buildings and roads, civil groups and academics argue for the need to make the rapid development sustainable and to preserve the important ecosystems.

Based on the outcome of recent studies, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences has already warned about the high sensitivity of the country to the consequences of climate change.

Taking a long-term perspective, the Hungarian Parliament recently passed a law establishing the independent position of the "Speaker for Future Generations”.

It is hoped that these legal and institutional measures will support the realisation of the ambitious new initiatives of the European Union that intend to turn the production and consumption in Europe into a low-carbon, resource-saving, fair and sustainable direction. The public knows that pollution and environmental degradation respect no boundaries and burden future generations. All members of the United Nations need to participate in the creation of an international system of stakeholders which is capable of delivering long-term solutions to the challenge of sustainability.