The job of the Future Generations Commissioner in the Welsh Government is always about looking forward. But occasionally, there is also cause to look back.
The Well-being of Future Generations Act was implemented 10 years ago and was revolutionary in its ambition to ensure all decisions made by the Welsh Government considered the long-term impact on the country, making certain that any legislation that's passed today provides tangible benefits for the next generations to come.
The law made waves around the world. After the act launched in Wales, parliaments in Scotland, Ireland and Japan worked on introducing similar types of legislation. And the UN Secretary General endorsed a proposal for a special envoy for future generations, citing Wales as an inspiration.
But a decade on, Derek Walker, whose job as Future Generations Commissioner is to ensure the principles of the The Well-being of Future Generations Act are upheld, believes there is still more we in Wales could be doing. To this end, the commissioner has released a new report, the Future Generations Report 2025, which contains key calls to action to Welsh politicians and public bodies to stick firmly to the pathway laid out by the Future Generations Act, and ensure the future for Wales is a bright one.
The report highlights around a dozen key areas the Future Generations Commissioner would like the government and its associated bodies to focus on. These include things like increasing public services funding year on year, the development of a long-term plan to improve Wales’ food security, and safeguarding the cultural sector in Wales, which the report calls “vital to our well-being”.
Outlining the challenges that still lie ahead for Wales in its efforts to protect the country for future generations, the report says, ‘Since committing to this journey 10 years ago, Cymru has made progress, from free school meals for primary pupils to being the second-best country in the world for recycling. But much more needs to be done. We are in a climate and nature emergency. Poverty levels remain unacceptably high. The solutions exist; we need to implement them.’
The report continues, “Cymru has chosen a path [that] prioritises economic growth for a purpose, which is the wellbeing of people and planet. We must stay the course and ensure national and regional economic plans aim to achieve Wales' wellbeing goals.”
Learn more about the role of the Future Generations Commissioner in Wales, or read all of the calls to action outlined in the Future Generations Report 2025.