Our mission is to support public bodies work towards their climate and nature targets by 2030, helping them lead change in ways that strengthen communities and improve well-being.  

While public bodies across Wales are taking steps to address the climate emergency, action is not consistent across all service areas. We will champion forward-looking actions that deliver multiple benefits, such as decarbonisation that lowers energy bills, and nature restoration that supports good health. 

Future Generations Report 2025: Recommendations

1. Welsh Government should introduce a headline statutory target for nature’s recovery by 2050 in primary legislation by 2026, with further targets reflecting the Global Biodiversity Framework in secondary legislation, a clear plan of action and long-term funding arrangements.
2. Using our land wisely matters more than ever. Following its next 5-year review of A Future Wales, Welsh Government should develop an integrated land and marine use framework that balances commitments to restore nature, support food production, improve climate resilience and deliver new housing and infrastructure. The framework should be accompanied by guidance and toolkits to support local decision-making.
3. Building on the investment in nutrient management boards and existing coastal and river forums, Welsh Government should expand their catchment remit as trusted decision-makers in river restoration. These partnerships should bring together a diverse range of stakeholders to co-create shared action plans, while enabling regulators such as Natural Resources Wales to work more collaboratively and drive positive, long-term change.
4. Within the next Government term, legislation is needed to give Natural Resources Wales the same regulatory powers as its English counterpart, including the authority to issue civil sanctions, such as stop orders and fines for polluting activities.
5. Welsh Government should establish an expert and cross-sector team, to support public bodies in preparing investment-ready proposals that can attract private sector finance for nature recovery and net zero, ensuring alignment with sustainable investment principles.
6. Welsh Revenue Authority should be tasked with ringfencing environmental fines and charges to directly fund climate and nature action.
7. From 2025, public bodies must prioritise climate resilience, net benefit for biodiversity, and pesticide reduction in how they manage their estates, including their buildings, tenant farms, parks, roadside verges and other land assets.
8. Local renewable energy, including community and publicly owned energy has a pivotal role to play in achieving net zero. There is a need for more resourcing and support nationally. Public sector organisations should increase their collaboration with local energy projects by releasing land for joint ventures and committing to purchasing the electricity.
9. Climate resilience and adaptation must become a core public service priority. By the end of 2027, Public Services Boards should assess climate risks for their communities, updating their findings every five years as part of their well-being assessments. Public bodies must integrate these findings into their corporate and strategic planning. 15. The public sector must become deforestation-free by 2028, ensuring supply chains do not contribute to global deforestation, habitat loss or human rights violations, including child labour and the abuse of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

What public bodies have told us:

1. Public bodies have told us they are taking action on decarbonising their assets, but are less confident (e.g. in skills and resourcing) on how to embed nature recovery and adaption as a core priority.
2. Public bodies were highly supportive of our recommendation to increase community energy.
3. Public bodies support ambitions but need more information about how to embed climate risk and nature concern (e.g. deforestation) into planning and supply chains

• Land, leadership and Legacy. – Published tools and guidance for how asset and estate managers can contribute to climate and nature targets. 

• Make communities a strong part of energy plans, calls the Commissioner as he responds to the Government’s Renewable Energy Sector Deal (Feb 2026)  

• Restoring Nature is a life and death issue as Commissioner responds to NRW’s State of Natural Resources Report (January 2026) 

• A Focus on Nature – Newsletter (January 2026) 

• Commissioner joins calls for an update on net zero actions (September 2025) 

• Don’t leave nature’s future to chance Commissioner says in his Senedd evidence (July 2025) 

• Name heatwaves like storms (July 2025) 

• Commissioner urges Government to double its community energy ambition (June 2025) 

• A Focus on Energy and Climate change – Newsletter (June 2025)