by Ariella Shalev | Feb 10, 2022
The Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill is a private members’ bill ensuring that public bodies consider future generations when making decisions and creating new policies. The Bill, led by Lord Bird and co-sponsored by Simon Fell MP, will protect the wellbeing of...
by John Lotherington | Feb 2, 2022 | Blog, News and Comment
Regional disparities have haunted policy makers in the UK for generations – regional economic agencies have come and gone, motorways were built to reconnect economic centres, subsidies were tried and then more market forces. But, as we emerge from the pandemic,...
by Ariella Shalev | Feb 2, 2022
Regional disparities have haunted policy makers in the UK for generations – regional economic agencies have come and gone, motorways were built to reconnect economic centres, subsidies were tried and then more market forces. But, as we emerge from the pandemic,...
by Ariella Shalev | Jan 31, 2022
The Intergenerational Solidarity Index (ISI), created by Jamie McQuilkin, measures the extent to which a nation provides for the wellbeing of its future generations. The ISI covers 122 countries and over 91% of the world’s population. This index is measured by using...
by Ariella Shalev | Jan 10, 2022
The Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA), launched in June 2021, is a new European network founded by the European Climate Foundation. The aim of KNOCA is to bring together academics, policy makers, activists and anyone interested to answer the question of...
by Ariella Shalev | Jan 10, 2022
In the past decade, Citizens’ Assemblies have risen in prominence. This evolving form of democracy uses representative deliberative processes to tackle complex policy challenges by bringing the voice of citizens into political decision-making. Typically, Citizens’...
by Ariella Shalev | Jan 10, 2022
Alongside climate summits dominated by world leaders, politicians and experts, we are also seeing the rise of Climate Assemblies — a new form of discussion, led by citizens. Climate Assemblies offer a response to the climate emergency by bringing public wisdom into...
by Ariella Shalev | Jan 5, 2022
If the recent COP26 tells us anything, it’s that different ways of making hard decisions about our shared futures are needed. Too often critical decisions are made through last minute compromises, hammered out amongst small groups of negotiators behind closed doors,...
by Graham Smith | Jan 5, 2022 | Blog, News and Comment
If the recent COP26 tells us anything, it’s that different ways of making hard decisions about our shared futures are needed. Too often critical decisions are made through last minute compromises, hammered out amongst small groups of negotiators behind closed doors,...
by Ariella Shalev | Dec 16, 2021
The Global Assembly is the first ever citizens’ assembly aiming to involve people from all over the world in proposing a possible response to climate change. This innovative process provides a novel infrastructure for global governance comprised entirely of...
by Ariella Shalev | Dec 15, 2021
Our Children’s Trust is a non-profit public interest law firm, providing services to young people with the aim of helping them secure legal rights for a safe climate. By offering strategic and campaign-based legal services, Our Children’s Trust works towards “securing...
by Ariella Shalev | Dec 15, 2021
Japan’s Future Design movement offers a unique model for overcoming short-termism in democratic decision-making. Drawing on traditional culture, Future Design is inspired by the principle of seventh-generation decision making, with the aim of strengthening...
by Ariella Shalev | Dec 8, 2021
The Wellbeing for Future Generations (Wales) Act became law in 2015. A previous FDSD blog reflected on development of the Act from my perspective as Sustainable Futures Commissioner for Wales from 2011-16, setting out its genesis in the devolution process. This is now...
by Peter Davies | Dec 8, 2021 | Blog, News and Comment
The Wellbeing for Future Generations (Wales) Act became law in 2015. A previous FDSD blog reflected on development of the Act from my perspective as Sustainable Futures Commissioner for Wales from 2011-16, setting out its genesis in the devolution process. This is now...
by Paul Bradley | Nov 18, 2021 | Blog, News and Comment
Living in Glasgow has been a somewhat surreal experience in recent weeks. The sounds of megaphones, police horses, and helicopters have been prominent in daily life. World leaders have come and gone, having spent an evening at my local museum. Hundreds of police lined...
by kultur.work | Apr 23, 2021
On May 20th 2021 FDSD held a launch event for a new book by Prof Graham Smith, Chair of FDSD and Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster. In Can Democracy Safeguard the Future? Graham asks why democracies repeatedly...
by kultur.work | Mar 6, 2021 | News and Comment
Our democracies repeatedly fail to safeguard the future. From pensions to pandemics, health and social care through to climate, biodiversity and emerging technologies, democracies have been unable to deliver robust policies for the long term. In his new book, Can...
by kultur.work | Oct 14, 2020
How can we nurture visions of the good life that preserve nature and protect the interests of future generations? Can new institutions help us to re-invigorate democracy? Can creativity inspire us to conserve what we love? How can we become the ‘good ancestors’ we...
by Graham Smith | Sep 28, 2020 | Blog, News and Comment
Ordinary British people proposes bolder climate measures than anything politicians have so far dared to suggest. In this blog, FDSD chair Prof Graham Smith shares some reflections. (This blog first appeared on The Conversation website.) . . . The climate crisis is a...
by Andrea Westall | Jul 27, 2020 | News and Comment
Michael Gove, the Duchy of Lancaster, gave a thoughtful and thought-provoking Ditchley Annual Lecture on 27th June about the need to change how policy making is done in order to respond to today’s challenges. This statement, alongside discussions of the future of the...
