Wales and the world
Global Partnerships
From Wales with the world, we’re working to grow the movement for change to implement more action to protect our future generations.
|
From Wales with the world, we’re working to grow the movement for change to implement more action to protect our future generations.
Working in collaboration with Foundations for Tomorrow, we launched the Future Generations Policy Toolkit to ensure global collaboration to mobilise young people and policymakers for Future Generations, drawing on Welsh learning.
The toolkit is an easily digestible toolkit designed to introduce future generations policy thinking to the fingertips of policy leaders and young people around the world. The toolkit has been completed by over 1000 young people, with 40% from the global south. To accompany the toolkit, we developed a podcast series, guests include Sophie Howe (Former Future Generations Commissioner for Wales); Cat Tully Co-Founder and Director, School of International Future) and Andrew Charles (Deputy Director, Cohesive Communities, Welsh Government).
To support the toolkit and podcast, we convened 25 young people from around the world to champion this work as they became ‘Future Generations Global Ambassadors’. The ambassadors, aged from 19-years-old, represent communities from all around the world – from Wales, and the Republic of Korea, to Canada, Ireland, India, Uganda, and Germany – and the Future Generations Commissioner (FGC) is looking at activities to connect the group with our Academy. Provided a presentation to the OSCE PA (Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly) President on a campaign led by the Future Generations Global Ambassadors to advocate for countries to embed future generations mechanisms in parliaments.
The Network of Institutions and Leaders for Future Generations (NIFG) consists of a diversity of institutions, highlighting the need to safeguard the needs, rights and interests of future generations through different structures and across various disciplines. NIFG was chaired for five years by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Wales continues to be a member – with the current Future Generations Commissioner as a member of the core executive team. The network focuses on sharing knowledge and experience of future generations governance since 2015. FGC commissioned NIFG research to inform and influence global discussions, which was recognised by the UN Secretary-General in his recent Policy Brief: Future Generations.
NIFG continues to commit to expanding and diversifying the network – you can apply to be a member: https://ourfuturegenerations.com/
The Future Generations Commissioner joined global leaders and activists at the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP) in 2021 and 2023, advocating for the interests of future generations and promoting sustainable development.
At COP26 (2021) in Glasgow, the Commissioner emphasised the importance of the WFGA as a model for other nations, advocating for global adoption of similar legislation to ensure that decisions made today do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. FGC participated included:
These engagements aimed to inspire other countries to consider future generations in their policy development and to adopt sustainable practices.
During COP28 (2023), FGC acknowledged the historic agreement among nations to transition away from fossil fuels, emphasising the urgency of accelerating this transition, stating that while the agreement was a significant step, it did not fully capture the immediacy required to address the climate crisis. FGC called for increased efforts in Wales to end fossil fuel dependence and to expedite climate action to protect future generations.
Since 2018, FGC has worked closely with the United Nations and UN agencies to promote sustainable development. Wales remains the only country to legislate to translate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into law. The UN Secretary General, in his report ‘Our Common Agenda’ (2021), committed to safeguarding and promoting the interests of future generations. The report proposed the creation of a UN Special Envoy for Future Generations, a Pact for the Future, a UN Declaration for Future Generations and a Summit of the Future.
FGC attended and contributed to a range of meetings, briefings, consultations and events ahead of the Summit of the Future in 2024; including presenting learnings from the Well-being of Future Generations Act at the SDG Summit in 2023. FGC attended the UN Summit of the Future 2024 in New York and participated in a range of meetings and speaking events to share learnings from Wales and the WFGA.
The Commissioner held a ‘Wales Summit of the Future’ in March 2024 with over 50 stakeholders. The Welsh Summit was followed up with a ‘Future Generations Forum’ in April 2024, which enabled the Commissioner to convene Welsh stakeholders and global community – highlighting Wales’ approach to future generations. The Forum convened 120 stakeholders from 40 countries; including 40 young people. 25 Member States also joined virtually including the Ambassadors for Jamaica and the Netherlands. The Forum was held in partnership with Welsh Government, with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and was opened by a speech from the First Minister of Wales.
Attendees of the Forum inputted into the Wales Protocol for Future Generations, a reference document and pragmatic guide aimed at governments and stakeholders interested in promoting and implementing the UN’s Declaration for Future Generations. The Well-being of Future Generations Act continues to be sighted as global good practice, and the Wales Protocol for Future Generations remains recognised by organisations and networks including the UN ImPACT Coalition for Future Generations.
