Wellbeing for Future Generations

“What Wales is doing today, the world will do tomorrow.” - Nikhil Seth, UN Assistant Secretary General

Continuing our One Person, One Action series highlighting sustainability pioneers, our latest film highlights the groundbreaking work of Jane Davidson, founder of the Wellbeing for Future Generations Act (Wales) 2015.

The law, in essence, aims to protect the future rights and interests of people who haven’t been born yet. It offers a framework for tackling systemic problems like poverty, health inequalities and climate change.

"Even if you're trying to do your absolute best about making sustainable decisions, if there's no legal mechanism to make you do that, they won't all be sustainable." —Jane Davidson

Incredibly, despite 193 countries signing up to the United Nations’ SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals*), no other country has to date enacted legislation to protect future generations.

Jane’s Wellbeing for Future Generations Act requires that 44 public bodies, including Welsh Government ministers, NHS Trusts and the National Park Authority, take action to improve economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing.

"We do need to change our behaviours. And if government can help us change our behaviours, and we can help government change its behaviour, that feels to me a much safer place to be."

The legislation puts the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals at the heart of decision-making to ensure that the impact of those decisions will be felt in the long-term.

That means moving away from the short-termism that typifies 5-year election cycles, and adopting pre-emptive as opposed to retroactive policy decisions that are often expensive and ineffectual.

“As of last year, Wales has the best recycling in the world. And when the business community looked to have a relief road for the congest M4, the Welsh government turned it down."

To find out more about Jane's work, check out her book: #Futuregen, Lessons from a Small Country

* SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.

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[radawson]

Yes! Wales, small but powerful in changing the course of planetary destruction. One Country. One Action. 💙

[ladytradiej]

Jason, You are amazing. Thank you for caring.
I saw you on long way down with Ewan & Charlie and decided to google you..

[MadeWidy]

Cleaning ocean, planting more trees and make more clean energy is our freedom