News & Comment

Wales—A Well-Being Nation 

Wales—A Well-Being Nation 

In this article, Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner of Wales, sets out his Office’s new seven year strategy, arguing that the WfG Act has to now “work harder and faster”, even though, at the same time as public finances, including his own office, are under severe pressure.

FDSD Newsletter, Autumn 2023

FDSD Newsletter, Autumn 2023

From national to local level, Scotland is rethinking how its policy, and participation practices, can better reflect sustainable development, wellbeing, and the needs of future generations. This FDSD newsletter showcases some of the activities that are happening, or are being considered.

Deepening Democracy for the Long Term | By Graham Smith

Deepening Democracy for the Long Term | By Graham Smith

The public’s perspectives on future generations are highly structured by the context in which they are articulated. A long-term perspective is rarely taken by people when they make immediate and everyday decisions – with the exception of those motivated by ‘lifetime-transcending interests’.

Constitutionalising the long-term future | Conference

Constitutionalising the long-term future | Conference

As part of their ongoing research on Present Democracy for Future Generations, the Laboratory of Ethics and Political Philosophy in the Nova University, Lisbon’s Institute of Philosophy, Ifilnova, held a conference on 19-20 September 2022 on Constitutionalizing the long-term future: Establishing intergenerational justice in national constitutions.

Young adults have dramatic loss of faith in UK democracy | A report by The Institute for Public Policy Research

Young adults have dramatic loss of faith in UK democracy | A report by The Institute for Public Policy Research

FDSD believes that democracy needs to adapt in order to meet the challenges of sustainable development, but equally that democracy itself is a better away of achieving sustainable goals than autocracy. However, our current democratic system has been facing challenges for some time. In April 2022, a report by The Institute for Public Policy Research with polling by YouGov, illustrated the depth of this problem

Improving accountability to deliver Scotland’s National Outcomes

Improving accountability to deliver Scotland’s National Outcomes

On the 10th of March 2022, the Scottish Leaders Forum (SLF) published a report on “Improving accountability and incentives to deliver the National Performance Framework (NPF) outcomes and live the values.” The forum includes over 300 senior leaders drawn from across the public services, third sector organisations, equality groups, and organisations that are delivering public services.

President of Portugal commits to intergenerational fairness

President of Portugal commits to intergenerational fairness

On the 22nd March 2022 the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sous, announced that he is to champion intergenerational fairness. This announcement took part in an event hosted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, who have been working with the School Of International Futures (SOIF) on getting policy-makers to promote inter-generational fairness.

The launch of a Greater Manchester Community Wealth Hub

The launch of a Greater Manchester Community Wealth Hub

On the 16th March 2022 the Greater Manchester Combined Authority launched Manchester’s first Community Wealth Hub. The development of this hub arose from a  recommendation of the Greater Manchester Independent Inequalities Commission to “Create a Community Wealth Hub to support and grow co-operatives, mutuals, social and community enterprises”. The Hub aims to promote and develop networks for support, provide advice, attract investments, spark innovation, and impact policy.

Future Trends Report Wales 2021

Future Trends Report Wales 2021

The Future Trends Report Wales 2021 brings together possible future trends, drivers of change and potential risks across all sectors comprising the wellbeing of Wales. The report highlights intergenerational challenges to which Wales needs to respond and identifies key social, economic, environmental, and cultural trends challenges that could affect Wales in the future.

Towards a New Civic Bureaucracy | New book by Matthew Quinn

Towards a New Civic Bureaucracy | New book by Matthew Quinn

The focus on the crisis of party-political democracy has diverted attention away from the role of wider institutions of governance. In his book, Towards a New Civic Bureaucracy: Lessons from sustainable development for the crisis of governance, Matthew Quinn redresses this balance and argues that our current public bureaucracy is dominated by technocratic approaches that do not serve our troubled democracies well.

Can Cities Use the Doughnut Model to Hack Liberal Democracy | A Carnegie Europe Article

Can Cities Use the Doughnut Model to Hack Liberal Democracy | A Carnegie Europe Article

The question “Can Cities Use the Doughnut Model to Hack Liberal Democracy?” is analysed in Olivia Lazard’s article in Carnegie Europe. The Doughnut Model developed by Kate Raworth has been applied in many cities as a method to tackle the climate crisis. As centers of economic activity and democratic institutions, cities can lead the systemic change needed to support sustainable development.