The Americas and the Caribbean: parliaments pledge to legislate for the future

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What the region did

Parliaments across the Americas and the Caribbean face mounting pressures, from climate change and demographic shifts to transformative technologies, polarisation and declining trust in democratic institutions. From 27 to 29 May 2025, the Parliament of Uruguay hosted the 21st Plenary Assembly of ParlAmericas and the 9th Gathering of the Open Parliament Network, bringing together legislators from across the region to explore anticipatory governance and citizen engagement under the theme "Legislating for the Future".

Photo by Holger Woizick on Unsplash

How it Delivered

Participants tested foresight tools such as Futures Wheels and Three Horizons, and held dialogue sessions on AI governance, demographic transitions, climate change and democratic renewal. The gathering culminated in the adoption, by consensus, of the Montevideo Declaration on Legislating for the Future, committing parliaments across the region to embed foresight, intergenerational justice and citizen engagement in legislative practice, and to deepen inter-parliamentary cooperation on anticipatory governance through networks such as the Open Parliament Network.

What Made it Work?

The initiative linked foresight methods to commitments parliaments had already made on openness and citizen participation, so long-term thinking arrived as an extension of existing work rather than a new burden. Giving legislators hands-on experience of the tools, rather than a lecture about them, turned curiosity into commitment.

Future Generations Takeaway

Parliaments across the hemisphere chose to face the future together rather than alone. The Montevideo Declaration shows how regional cooperation can normalise long-term governance faster than any country could manage by itself. Keeping the future open is easier in good company.

This case study is based on one kindly shared with us by the us by School of International Futures (SOIF) and can be found in their digital implementation handbook: 'One Year in Practice: Stories of Global Action for Future Generations'.  We have updated and expanded some case studies with more recent developments and additional sources where relevant.