At this time of year, there is a lot of pressure on us to buy gifts for those that we love, and we want to make it special. But have you ever thought that when you are buying something, that there are two people in the transaction? The person you are buying it for, and the person you are buying it from - the producer, farmer or worker.
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#TransportOctober Roqib Monsur nextbike Ambassador explains why cycling is the best way to get around Cardiff
Since the bike-sharing scheme launched in Cardiff earlier this year, I was one of the people that took advantage of the scheme and began travelling using the nextbike for my everyday travels across the city. After using them a few times, I started raving about it to my friends and family, or anyone who would listen, and getting them to use it too.
Read MoreCommissioner challenges plans for £1.1bn M4 relief road
Proposals to build a £1.1bn road to ease congestion on the M4 fail to set out how it will meet the needs of our future generations who will be burdened with paying for it,” says Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales.
Read MoreCity Deal can be a better deal for Future Generations
Failing to put low carbon as a central pillar of the Cardiff City Deal programme would be both environmentally and economically irresponsible,” says Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales.
Read MoreMeeting Nimrod Wambette during Fairtrade Fortnight Megan Jones-Evans, Deputy Head Girl, Llanfyllin High School, Montgomeryshire
During Fairtrade Fortnight, we, sixth form pupils from Llanfyllin High School were the audience of a Fairtrade assembly ran by Ffion Storer Jones of Montgomeryshire Federation of Young Farmers Club (YFC) and Nimrod Wambette; a Fairtrade coffee farmer from Uganda.
Read MoreProviding advice to Public Services Boards as they plan together for well-being
Over the last few months, the leaders of public services across Wales have been using the recently published local well-being assessments to understand how they can contribute to the social, environmental, economic and cultural well-being of people in their areas.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner challenges Public Services to build a genuine conversation with the public
“The issue of whether we have the Wales we want, has to be answered through a two-way dialogue with the public,” Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner has said at a speech at the Welsh Local Government Association Annual Conference today.
Read MoreWe can end fuel poverty with £15bn retrofit investment plan for our homes, says Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Fuel poverty could be eradicated in Wales by 2030 if Welsh Government commits to a long-term plan to improve the efficiency of our homes, says the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales.
Read MoreThe Future Generations Report 2020
This report sets out my assessment of progress made in implementing the Act within the first reporting period, i.e. the last three years
Read MoreNew Future Generations Commissioner calls for ‘urgent and transformational change’ as he takes up post on St David’s Day
Wales’ new champion for the future of the nation is using his first day in the job to call for “urgent and transformational change” to improve people’s lives now and in the future.
Read MoreChangemaker 100: Future Generations Commissioner marks end of seven-year term by recognising Wales’ changemakers
People making a positive difference to Wales’ present and future are being spotlighted by the first Future Generations Commissioner, Sophie Howe, as she comes to the end of her seven-year term.
Read MoreSelf Reflection Tool 2019
In 2018/19, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales trialled a method of monitoring and assessing progress towards the well-being objectives set by public bodies – one of her duties according to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
Read MoreCommunities' voices put centre stage to boost lives of future generations
The voices of some of Wales’ most under-represented communities have been put at the heart of a new way to create climate and nature emergency policy to benefit future generations.
Read More#skillsseptember - To Bacc or not to Bacc?
The deadline for responses to the Welsh Government on the status of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification is TODAY and you can find more information here.
Read MoreIf 2020 has shown that we can live our lives closer to home, how can we lock in the benefits for future generations?
The announcement back in March this year that the UK was going into lockdown was a shock to us all and created significant challenges as we navigated a new world which largely required us to stay at home.
Read MoreClimate change – our obligations to future generations
What I’ve learnt about climate change since becoming Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, earlier this year, is quite simply frightening. There is no doubt that it’s the greatest challenge facing future generations and action is urgently needed across the public sector to reduce our emissions and its impacts.
Read MoreA bad week to be a Brit in Brussels: foresight and whether we could have predicted Brexit
Foresight and whether we could have predicted Brexit
Read MoreHow do we procure well-being?
A record number of online delegates joined the recent Cardiff Business School Breakfast Briefing to hear how the Well-being of Future Generations Act provides an opportunity to transform the way procurement is delivered in Wales. By moving towards an outcomes-based approach, we can ensure the £6 billion spent annually delivers the best outcomes across all four elements of well-being and helps to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being for current and future generations.
Read MoreClimate change threat to our homes explored by Future Generations Commissioner’s poet in residence, Taylor Edmonds, with new poem commissioned by free event, Everything Change
‘the leaders, the people, they rolled over like spent dogs, yawned above the warnings’
Read MoreWales is leading the world on safeguarding the interests of future generations
The world’s first Commissioner whose role it is to act as guardian for future generations, Sophie Howe (Future Generations Commissioner for Wales) will be highlighting how Wales’ is leading the way on safeguarding the interests of future generations when she addresses the United Nations High Level Political Forum in New York this week.
Read MoreWell-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
The Well-being of Future Generations Act gives us the encouragement, the permission and the statutory obligation to make the changes needed to improve our social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being
Read More‘Don’t let young people down’, says Future Generations Commissioner as she launches Manifesto for the Future with 11-17-year-olds from Wales, and urges politicians to act now on climate and inequality
Wales’ political parties must act now on the urgent priorities of the nation’s young people, the world’s first Future Generations Commissioner has warned.
Read MoreWales needs to explore paying everyone a basic income – open letter to First Minister
Wales should explore paying everyone a basic income to study how it could improve lives for generations in the future, the First Minister is being urged.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner welcomes milestones set by Government but says more ambition is needed in some areas
Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act is a law that puts a duty on Welsh Government to protect the interests of future generations while meeting the challenges of today - the law requires the Government to set milestones they are seeking to achieve on their way to meeting each of Wales’ seven well-being goals.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner for Wales calls for long-term policy ideas to protect against future cost of living emergencies
The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales says the Well-being of Future Generations Act should be used to future-proof against further cost of living emergencies.
Read MoreCymru Can do better to improve lives for today and tomorrow
Here, he explains the next steps and why he believes Cymru Can use the Well-being of Future Generations Act to make Wales a better place to live for now and future generations.
Read MoreWelsh Government budget must signal a change in direction to reset our economy
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed deep structural inequalities in our economy and society including wage poverty, health inequalities, racial disparities, food poverty, job insecurity and imbalances in quality of housing. At the same time climate and ecological breakdown is escalating, and we risk exacerbating all of these challenges if we go back to the way things were.
Read MoreOur obsession with exams is failing to equip young people with the right skills for the future, says Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Education fit for the Future A White Paper For discussion Produced by Professor Calvin Jones in collaboration with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Read MoreCase Studies
Over the last few months, we have been collecting good case studies of how the Act is being implemented on the ground across Wales.
Read MoreWales – where well-being isn’t just a buzz word, it’s the law – reflects on seven years of its world-leading Future Generations Act
A future-fit curriculum for our children, solar panels saving a hospital £1m a year in electric bills, a road building freeze and hundreds of people receiving a basic income – these are just some of the changes Wales is making thanks to its world-leading Well-being of Future Generations Act.
Read MoreCalling all the Zero Heroes
Ten years ago the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) launched a pioneering report – Zero carbon Britain – showing that we have the technology and solutions to reduce our carbon emissions down to zero.
Read More#TransportOctober The “joy” of electric cars in rural Wales by Neil Lewis
My wife and I drove UP to the Farm Shop for breakfast in Cross Hands- half the charge had gone-will we be able to get home.... What have I done?
Read MoreBack to the Future with Magor & Undy Walkway Station
When MAGOR was launched on 14th March 2013, the group realised from the outset the enormity of the tasks facing them. The first challenge was to get the walkway concept and business plans agreed and funded by governments and the rail industry.
Read MoreNew report reveals Universal Basic Income in Wales would cut poverty in half
Poverty in Wales would be halved if Welsh Government commits to a progressive Universal Basic Income (UBI), according to a major study commissioned by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Sophie Howe.
Read MoreIt takes a village...
I’m fortunate to have a job where I see lots of people doing lots of amazing things (occasionally the reverse too) but a project that I visited whilst in Austin Texas as part of the US Embassy’s International Visitor Leadership Programme last week has got to be up there with one of the best
Read MoreBlack History Month: “Children should be taught about their histories so that it becomes a normal thing, not something abnormal and unknown.”
“When I look at my life it feels like I really take after my mother."
Read More#SocialPrescribingJanuary: 'How art has helped me feel again' - Meha Devis Kalaparambuth
Art is good for mental well-being
Read MoreIt’s time we looked at innovative ways of tackling the nation’s health problems
Like many parents, I supply my family with vitamins as we try to prevent the inevitable latest strain of winter cold or even flu. GP waiting rooms fill up and media outlets report the annual surge in waiting times or demand for hospital beds.
Read MoreThe best business is when people, planet and profit intertwine
The best business is when people, planet and profit intertwine
Read MorePublic bodies in Wales are failing to innovate towards a prosperous Wales
Almost a quarter of people are living in poverty in Wales, only 1% of apprenticeships in Wales are filled by disabled people and future working trends suggest that 65% of jobs at risk of becoming automated are those done by women.
Read More#TransportOctober How we are progressing – It is time to switch to Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs)
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. It is a common phrase that we use in our office where the second-hand office furniture and ‘no plastic cup’ signs welcome visitors.
Read MoreProcurement
Public bodies in Wales spend over £6 billion each year procuring a range of goods, services and works; this represents nearly a third of total devolved Welsh annual expenditure, and it is estimated that over the next decade Welsh public services will spend over £60 billion.
Read MoreSection 20 Review of procurement practices within the Welsh public sector
On March 9th, Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales triggered a Section 20 Review into the procurement practices of nine public bodies in Wales.
Read MoreFuture transport in the capital city - guest blog by Councillor Caro Wild
Cardiff is a really exciting place at the moment. We have a young and fast-growing city, with jobs being created, houses being built and a billion pounds worth of regional rail infrastructure on its way. There’s a real buzz about the capital city.
Read MoreGreen Infrastructure
A catalyst for wellbeing of future generations in Wales - a special report by Wildlife Trusts Wales
Read MoreWell-being of Future Generations Act – third sector resources
Wales Council for Voluntary Action have created a series of resources for the third sector to help maximise their contribution to the seven well-being goals.
Read MoreWorld's Largest Lesson 18th - 25th September 2017
As we start the new school year, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of a very special upcoming date in the global calendar, which will provide you with an opportunity to introduce the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals to children and young people and unite them in action with others around the globe
Read MoreSupport communities to fight climate emergency, says Future Generations Commissioner as he launches call for all councils in Wales to be net zero
Supporting community climate action is essential if local councils are to help Wales cut climate-warming carbon emissions and reach net zero, the Future Generations Commissioner said today. [Tuesday, March 5.]
Read MoreCOP is over for another year - now let’s up the pace on ending fossil fuels and accelerate action in Cymru, says Deputy Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
At this year’s COP28, the world’s nations have for the first time agreed that we must all transition away from fossil fuels. While this is a historic moment for us as global citizens and for our planet, it has failed to capture the urgency of the situation.
Read MoreInvolvement
Involvement is at the heart of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Since the creation of the Future Generations Commissioner in 2016, our office has involved thousands of people to support and inform our work. Some of the involvement projects we have undertaken to date include
Read MorePressure mounts on UK Government to follow Welsh Government and back the Well-being of Future Generations Bill
More than two thirds of the public want the Government to consider future generations in policy-making – according to new research - and the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales is backing a campaign for a UK-wide law that protects tomorrow from the actions of today.
Read MoreDomestic abuse survivors at Future Generations Wales will get financial support to leave an abusive relationship
People working for the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales will be able to receive cash support to escape an abusive relationship, it is announced today.
Read MoreFuture-proof your planning with easy-to-use tool
A new easy-to-use guide will help public bodies to think and plan better for the long-term, by keeping a clear vision and taking future trends into account.
Read More"Cymru Can: Here's why we think it will..." - Rob Ashelford, Head of Nesta Cymru
Cymru Can: Here's why we think it will... Rob Ashelford, Head of Nesta Cymru, on why 2024 might be the year Wales shifts towards real change that benefits people now and protects the future.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner welcomes Welsh Government’s plan for the next five years – but says it lacks detail and timeline
“Welsh Government’s new Programme for Government is a reminder of the severe inequalities and injustices facing current and future generations, exacerbated by key events of the last year."
Read MoreFuture Generations Framework
The Well-being of Future Generations Act requires a new way of thinking about how our public services are delivered in Wales. Public Bodies must work in a way that improves the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales.
Read MoreGreen spaces are important – that's why we’re asking Welsh Government to ensure people can access nature within a four-minute walk
People in Wales should be able to access nature four minutes from where they live, the Future Generations Commissioner is announcing during National Tree Week.
Read MoreTaking account of the Well-being of Future Generations Act in the budget process
The Commissioner has also published advice to Welsh Government with 10 recommendations for they should build on the progress they have made in the draft budget this time around to take more ambitious and transformational steps from 2019 onwards.
Read MoreCymru Can – the new strategy from the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – says well-being law has to work harder
Wales needs to up the scale and pace on delivering its future generations law, says the Future Generations Commissioner, as he launches his new strategy, Cymru Can.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner urges Welsh Government to deliver on a green recovery budget
Sophie Howe says we have a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reset Wales’ economy and is calling for “visionary ideas and transformative investment” in the nation’s recovery plan.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner for Wales calls on Local Authorities to divest from fossil fuels
With £1bn of Pension Funds investment in Wales being spent on fossil fuel based companies, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales calls on Local Authorities to demonstrate how climate risk is being incorporated into their current and future fund's investment strategy.
Read MoreTravelling Stateside
Just over a year ago, not long after taking up my post as Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, I was approached by the American Embassy to ask if I would be interested in participating in their International Visitor Leadership Programme.
Read MorePlanning for people's well-being
Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has welcomed the new Planning Policy Wales, which she along with her team worked with the Welsh Government to ensure that the policy embodies the Well-being of Future Generations Act and contributes to each of the seven well-being.
Read MoreFor Belle and Emmeline
This Sunday my daughter and I will be taking part in something significant. We will be joining thousands of women across the country marching to commemorate the brave women who came before us 100 years ago who marched, campaigned, starved and even died to get us the vote.
Read MoreStatement following the Supplementary Budget
In response to the Supplementary Budget announced by Welsh Government today, I recognise there is an enormous challenge to face in dealing with the immediate COVID-19 crisis.
Read MoreRefugee Ali joins Wales’ leaders of tomorrow as he graduates from Future Generations Leadership Academy
Refugee Ali joins Wales’ leaders of tomorrow as he graduates from Future Generations Leadership Academy A former asylum seeker will become one of Wales’ leaders of tomorrow after graduating from a transformative programme run by the Future Generations Commissioner. Ali Al-Anbaki, 27, from Cardiff, said he wants to raise awareness of the mental health struggles of people seeking sanctuary, after completing the Future Generations Leadership Academy, which supports young people to bring about lasting social change under the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
Read More#SkillsSeptember - Tackling the changing world of work
At Nesta we have spent a lot of time over the last few years thinking about the future of the world of work.
Read MoreA Fit for the Future Programme for Government
We have the opportunity to create a better Wales for current and future generations.
Read MoreProviding advice and assistance to public bodies and PSBs
We provide advice, assistance and support to people on the Well-being of Future Generations Act in a variety of ways.
Read MoreA Well-being Economy
We will make it our mission to help transition Wales to an economy that puts people and planet first. As a result, governments at all levels, communities and business are making this happen.
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner for Wales
The Future Generations Commissioner role, was established by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 - a pioneering piece of legislation which is unique to Wales
Read MoreGuest Blog by Sian Tomos, Arts Council of Wales - Investing in our artists is investing in our future
As I write, President Trump looks set to pull the United States of America out of the Paris global climate agreement. Climate change denial is gaining traction and dismissing the views of experts and scientists who have studied these things for many years is common place.
Read MorePublic Services Boards must rise to the challenge of decision-making for future generations
"Public Services Boards must rise to challenge of decision-making for future generations and the Welsh Government must raise their level of support and ambition for them to do so", said the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Read MoreCymru Can Strengthen Community Resilience
As part of our series of blogs in response to the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales’ new strategy, Cymru Can, Eleri Williams from Building Communities Trust, explores the link between community resilience and inequality. Here, she looks at what can be done to ensure that Cymru Can achieve well-being for people now, and generations yet to be born, no matter where they live in Cymru.
Read More#TransportOctober Community Transport and Future Generations – Llyr ap Gareth, Community Transport Association UK
The international community faces huge challenges of climate change and dwindling resources. The Well-being of Future Generations Act (Wales) argues that if we hope to tackle those big questions, engaging in a sustainable way with local policy will be critical. I want to shine a light on how some of those local and global policy challenges link together through the lens of community transport.
Read MoreA Ddylai Robotiad Siarad Cymraeg? (Should robots speak Welsh?)
Should robots speak Welsh?
Read MoreCommissioner at COP26
Wales has a huge story to tell at COP26 – our Well-being of Future Generations Act.
Read MoreWe want your views on the journey to the Wales of the Possible
The 'Art of the Possible' is one of the Commissioner's main programmes of work. It is a partnership approach to shining a light on great work that is improving well-being in communities across Wales.
Read MoreWhat might the world look like today if every country had a law protecting future generations?
The UK’s first 'guardian of the not-yet-born’ is encouraging other countries at COP27 this week to protect future generations from the climate, nature and cost of living emergencies by law.
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