Binding the future boosts intergenerational sustainability

Intergenerational cooperation is essential for addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges, including climate change. Unlike single-period social dilemmas, intergenerational dilemmas lack key mechanisms that facilitate cooperation, such as reciprocity and third-party punishment, or compensate for its absence, such as formal compliance mechanisms. A promising approach is the implementation of a commitment mechanism, allowing the current generation to bind future generations to continue collaborating. In this study, we experimentally examine the behavioral aspects of such mechanisms and find widespread endorsement for their use, despite associated costs. This reflects “long-sighted altruism,” where individuals forego personal gain to benefit not just the next generation but also more distant ones. Commitment mechanisms enhance intergenerational sustainability, increasing the proportion of chains that preserve the common pool across generations. Finally, these mechanisms exhibit persistence, as future generations tend to continue using them. These results have important implications for policymakers exploring ways to make climate policies more credible.