What do you think?
Rate this book
#futuregen, Lessons from a Small Country
This is the era of future generations demanding action to halt the climate emergency and the sixth great extinction of earth's abundance and diversity of life. In Wales, the 2015 Wellbeing of Future Generations Act has created a platform to bring teeth to this demand and it's revolutionising how public business is conducted. The Act is the first piece of legislation on Earth to put future generations at the forefront of public policy making. The Act places regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government, and requires long-term, collaborative and systemic solutions to complex issues including poverty, health, ecology, environment and meaningful employment. Such is the ambition and importance of the law in Welsh public policy that governments, municipalities and civil society organisations the world-over are following the experiment closely. As the UN Assistant Secretary General, Nikhil Seth, commented at the launch of the Act, "What Wales is doing today, the world will do tomorrow".
Jane Davidson inspired and nurtured the Act from concept to legislation. The duties outlined in it are the touchstone at the heart of all future government policy making. In #FutureGenerations Jane reveals for the first time how and why such ground-breaking legislation was forged in Wales, and explores the opportunities it is now creating for individuals, communities and governments worldwide to think and act differently.
Jane Davidson inspired and nurtured the Act from concept to legislation. The duties outlined in it are the touchstone at the heart of all future government policy making. In #FutureGenerations Jane reveals for the first time how and why such ground-breaking legislation was forged in Wales, and explores the opportunities it is now creating for individuals, communities and governments worldwide to think and act differently.
144 pages, Paperback
Published May 28, 2020
6 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 20, 2020
Wales is leaving the UK and pretty much the rest of the world in its dust. It has passed a law called The Well-being of Future Generations Act. It is a first of its kind Act that requires government to consider the effects on future generations before blundering ahead. Jane Davidson, who developed and shepherded it, is justifiably proud of it. Her book #futuregen extols the accomplishment from every angle, except one. The one that counts.
As England loosened the chains on Wales (as well as on Scotland and Northern Ireland), the country has moved off in its own green direction. In 2008, it became the world’s first fairtrade country. The fact it did that, led many to have a better appreciation of the planet and Wales’ place in it. A study showed that the Welsh consume three times their per capita share of global resources. In a bid to reduce that to a more equality-minded rate of consumption, politicians like Davidson talked in terms of One Wales, One Planet. It was the right time; the Welsh were receptive.
By 2015, they had passed the Well-being Act, and sustainability became the actual central principle of the government. This is of course unique in the world and a huge accomplishment, impossible in most nations. But a handful of countries are learning from it and noodling around doing it themselves. If enough countries implement philosophies like this, the human race would actually have a chance.
Unfortunately, the book is almost entirely self-congratulatory, with dozens of voices expressing their satisfaction at this development, and thoughts for the future. What is glaringly missing is how the Act has changed Wales and the Welsh in the five years since passage. There are no figures showing how Wales’ carbon footprint has plunged. There are no studies showing Welsh companies changing the world with innovative green solutions. About the only statistic in the book is the amount of disposable bags dropping by 90% in just one year after Davidson imposed a 5p tax on them. This was after a long period of cajoling had little to no effect.
There are mentions that schools are instilling these forward-thinking values, but nothing that shows kids’ attitudes are markedly different because of it or how their own trajectories have changed. There is a lot of debate on carrot vs stick, centered on the powers given to the well-being commissioner, who seems to have only the power of browbeating.
Wales also claims a podium spot for its recycling efforts, which are not described either. How they are different or more effective is not mentioned. There are brief mentions of companies trading with each other, avoiding cash outlays, and of houses built of wood instead of stone and mortar, but not how widespread these things are, how much money or energy is being saved, or even whether they are spreading or merely experiments.
So #futuregen is not a how-to, and not a report on results. It is a rose-colored description of how the Act came to be and how proud everyone is of it. To me, that’s not enough for a book. Especially five years later.
David Wineberg
As England loosened the chains on Wales (as well as on Scotland and Northern Ireland), the country has moved off in its own green direction. In 2008, it became the world’s first fairtrade country. The fact it did that, led many to have a better appreciation of the planet and Wales’ place in it. A study showed that the Welsh consume three times their per capita share of global resources. In a bid to reduce that to a more equality-minded rate of consumption, politicians like Davidson talked in terms of One Wales, One Planet. It was the right time; the Welsh were receptive.
By 2015, they had passed the Well-being Act, and sustainability became the actual central principle of the government. This is of course unique in the world and a huge accomplishment, impossible in most nations. But a handful of countries are learning from it and noodling around doing it themselves. If enough countries implement philosophies like this, the human race would actually have a chance.
Unfortunately, the book is almost entirely self-congratulatory, with dozens of voices expressing their satisfaction at this development, and thoughts for the future. What is glaringly missing is how the Act has changed Wales and the Welsh in the five years since passage. There are no figures showing how Wales’ carbon footprint has plunged. There are no studies showing Welsh companies changing the world with innovative green solutions. About the only statistic in the book is the amount of disposable bags dropping by 90% in just one year after Davidson imposed a 5p tax on them. This was after a long period of cajoling had little to no effect.
There are mentions that schools are instilling these forward-thinking values, but nothing that shows kids’ attitudes are markedly different because of it or how their own trajectories have changed. There is a lot of debate on carrot vs stick, centered on the powers given to the well-being commissioner, who seems to have only the power of browbeating.
Wales also claims a podium spot for its recycling efforts, which are not described either. How they are different or more effective is not mentioned. There are brief mentions of companies trading with each other, avoiding cash outlays, and of houses built of wood instead of stone and mortar, but not how widespread these things are, how much money or energy is being saved, or even whether they are spreading or merely experiments.
So #futuregen is not a how-to, and not a report on results. It is a rose-colored description of how the Act came to be and how proud everyone is of it. To me, that’s not enough for a book. Especially five years later.
David Wineberg
August 13, 2020
Jane Davidson is a conviction politician. That tends to sit awkwardly with the futures community because conviction politicians tend to create a single point future and focus upon that to the exclusion of all other possible futures. There is little nuance about alternative futures. There is little account of uncertainty in an evolving situation. There is only a focus on the conviction that they are right. Of course, the futurist would ask what if they are wrong? And this is where conviction comes into play. They can only conceive of a single future in which they are right.
Jane Davidson's fixed point future is one of climate collapse. Based on the supposition that it is a correct view of the future, how should one act in the present? The author is very much convinced by the cause of environmentalism, reducing species loss, and living within the planetary boundary. So are others, some of whom endorse the book. However, whilst they are content with the distribution of wealth as it currently stands, the author isn't. In addition to planetary justice, the author seeks a form of social justice as well. In particular, the relief of poverty and a more equal society. This is where the book unravels a little.
Achieving planetary balance will necessarily involve far less economic activity than we currently undertake. A redistribution from the haves to the have-nots will also skew this process towards less economic activity as well. The question of how we do this, whilst maintaining decent jobs and livelihoods is one the author grapples with, but in a fairly unconvincing way. The book needs far more thought about the transition from where we are to where the author wants us to be. I remain sceptical. The Gilets Jaunes in France give us an idea of what happens when over-excited conviction politicians get too far ahead of public opinion. Their cause collapses.
I can see the same thing here. The author assumes that she is absolutely right about her single point future and does not consider any alternatives. As a result of her conviction, she is certain that all right minded people agree with her and that anyone who doesn't is simply being obstructive or represents entrenched vested interests. However, we boil things down to two core questions. Is the author's view of the future right? And if it is right, are her recommendations for action the best thing to do?
I am not convinced about the first question. There is an argument that future generations will be better informed than the present, that they will have better technologies than the present, and they will have greater resources than the present. If you accept that argument, then there is a case to say that by restricting ourselves in the present, we are blighting the prospects of future generations. In this case, the best policy would be to do nothing and just muddle through. In my mind, the author is too convinced about only her view being the correct one to be blinded to the possibility of an alternative future. Myself, I quite like the idea of muddling through because, in my experience that is what most people do.
This book is a political Apologia Sua Vita. For me, the politics are too certain and can easily transition into a form of technocratic authoritarianism. If we can believe the book, we are already seeing this in Wales. In many ways, the test will come in twenty years or so. If young Welsh people move to England because their prospects have been blighted by this legislation, then we will know that it has failed. If the direction of travel is the other way around, then this legislation will have been absolutely the right thing to do. The great thing about the future is that you won't know until you get there.
Jane Davidson's fixed point future is one of climate collapse. Based on the supposition that it is a correct view of the future, how should one act in the present? The author is very much convinced by the cause of environmentalism, reducing species loss, and living within the planetary boundary. So are others, some of whom endorse the book. However, whilst they are content with the distribution of wealth as it currently stands, the author isn't. In addition to planetary justice, the author seeks a form of social justice as well. In particular, the relief of poverty and a more equal society. This is where the book unravels a little.
Achieving planetary balance will necessarily involve far less economic activity than we currently undertake. A redistribution from the haves to the have-nots will also skew this process towards less economic activity as well. The question of how we do this, whilst maintaining decent jobs and livelihoods is one the author grapples with, but in a fairly unconvincing way. The book needs far more thought about the transition from where we are to where the author wants us to be. I remain sceptical. The Gilets Jaunes in France give us an idea of what happens when over-excited conviction politicians get too far ahead of public opinion. Their cause collapses.
I can see the same thing here. The author assumes that she is absolutely right about her single point future and does not consider any alternatives. As a result of her conviction, she is certain that all right minded people agree with her and that anyone who doesn't is simply being obstructive or represents entrenched vested interests. However, we boil things down to two core questions. Is the author's view of the future right? And if it is right, are her recommendations for action the best thing to do?
I am not convinced about the first question. There is an argument that future generations will be better informed than the present, that they will have better technologies than the present, and they will have greater resources than the present. If you accept that argument, then there is a case to say that by restricting ourselves in the present, we are blighting the prospects of future generations. In this case, the best policy would be to do nothing and just muddle through. In my mind, the author is too convinced about only her view being the correct one to be blinded to the possibility of an alternative future. Myself, I quite like the idea of muddling through because, in my experience that is what most people do.
This book is a political Apologia Sua Vita. For me, the politics are too certain and can easily transition into a form of technocratic authoritarianism. If we can believe the book, we are already seeing this in Wales. In many ways, the test will come in twenty years or so. If young Welsh people move to England because their prospects have been blighted by this legislation, then we will know that it has failed. If the direction of travel is the other way around, then this legislation will have been absolutely the right thing to do. The great thing about the future is that you won't know until you get there.
May 24, 2020
#futuregen is overall an inspirational book about what Wales has done over time to promote environmental sustainability awareness and what had been done to prepare Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This book has great suggestions of how to promote more sustainable thinking and practices throughout a community and especially in our younger generations. Being a teacher myself and meeting students that have never really been exposed to nature and the idea of doing more to help the environment around them is something that I agree needs to be addressed more often. The author makes excellent points and suggestions to help approach these issues and I agree completely that our students needs to experience nature to understand the importance of it.. Teaching our future generations are the key and it is important to make it part of their culture. The reason I did not give this book more stars is because I did struggle to get through parts of this book. I loves the parts that gave general solutions that could apply elsewhere, but sometimes the book seemed off topic or unnecessary to make their point., such as the personal stories in some cases.. I would have also liked to see data and evidence of what they did and how well it has worked so far in the younger generations.
October 20, 2020
It makes me proud that my country is so forward thinking and the first of its kind to implement a law like the future generations act and I hope that my workplace will be part of the solution.
I enjoyed reading this, but it was difficult in parts to get through. I found myself unable to take in some of the information due to the way that it was written.
Having said that, I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you have an interest in topics surrounding the environment and social chance.
I enjoyed reading this, but it was difficult in parts to get through. I found myself unable to take in some of the information due to the way that it was written.
Having said that, I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you have an interest in topics surrounding the environment and social chance.
November 21, 2020
I read this for insights into the process of policy making, and it offers a very personal account of the journey. While the Act was many years in the making, I found it interesting how it evolved and became what it is.
I wasn’t expecting a critique on how well it’s doing, as some others have. But I appreciate their comments that it’s minimal in the book. The WBFG Commissioner just published the first report and there is a public consultation on the Act too which we can read with interest.
https://www.futuregenerations.wales/r...
I wasn’t expecting a critique on how well it’s doing, as some others have. But I appreciate their comments that it’s minimal in the book. The WBFG Commissioner just published the first report and there is a public consultation on the Act too which we can read with interest.
https://www.futuregenerations.wales/r...
July 13, 2025
A bit heavy-going in places given all the political ins and outs, but an inspiring read. It's nigh on impossible to imagine Westminster politicians passing a Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, but it's exactly what we need. The fact that Wales, a tiny nation that's been politically sidelined for aeons, has managed to achieve this is remarkable. I just hope that it succeeds in real terms policies, going on to inspire other nations to do the same, rather than being diluted into yet another form of green-washing and virtue=signalling. Here's hoping.
August 6, 2020
Who knew Wales was such a forward thinking nation? Not me for starters. This is a remarkably readable account of the events that led up the passing of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, even if politics is not really your thing. The author's passion for the subject shines through, but does not stop her honestly analysing failures along the way, nor facing up the the challenges to come.
March 21, 2023
Fascinating "insider" account of how the Future Generations Act came to be, after a rollercoaster ride of a decade of party politics and growing nationalism. What now though? Will it make Wales a leader in climate politics and sustainability, or will it be little more than a token gesture? The M4 relief road decision suggests the former, but only time will tell. In the meantime, well done Jane Davidson!
March 27, 2021
The Future Generations Act puts Wales miles ahead of other nations. Learning about the process to get there is fascinating and although I won’t remember the steps in detail, I will take away that two fundamental shifts are needed for change - focussing on future generations and putting this at the heart of government.
May 9, 2021
Detailed description of inspiring work on sustainability for a country, taking us through the legislative process and the governmental commitment to making wales ready for its children’s children. Complete dedication from the author ensured a remarkable achievement. All greenery should read it !Hard work involved!
March 13, 2021
4.5 stars
November 30, 2021
An interesting case study about what they're doing right in Wales.
January 26, 2022
This book has some interesting sections, but it is not my idea of leisure reading. For the right person, this could be a useful book.
Read
May 24, 2025Very hopeful book, with balance of practical and policy options that could shape a positive response to the challenges of sustainability
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews