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 Graham Smith | Oct 1, 2021 | News and Comment
The Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University in Canada has published the report Can Public Participation Accelerate the Transition to Net-Zero?: Innovations and Challenges for Advancing the Field of Climate Engagement. The report aims to inspire...
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 Graham Smith | Nov 13, 2019 | News and Comment
FDSD was delighted to host a workshop at the University of Westminster to develop the campaign for the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act being led by Lord Bird. The event attracted representatives from around 30 organisations, including UK Student Climate Network,...
by Graham Smith | Jun 30, 2019 | Blog, News and Comment
Citizens’ assemblies could be vital in kick-starting the tough steps needed to respond to the climate emergency, Chair of the FDSD board of trustees, Graham Smith, argues. But the detail of how they will work is critical. (This blog first appeared on The Conversation...
by Graham Smith | Feb 15, 2019 | Blog, News and Comment
2018 witnessed the emergence of a dynamic, new climate change movement—Extinction Rebellion (XR). Building chapters around the UK, Europe and across the world, XR’s most visible action was its day of mass civil disobedience in November, with 6,000 activists shutting...
by Graham Smith | Apr 6, 2018 | News and Comment
For the first time in 25 years, the House of Lords Liaison Committee is reviewing the structure and function of committees in the second chamber. FDSD is making the most of the opportunity to propose a new Committee for Future Generations to bring long-term...
by Graham Smith | Apr 6, 2018 | News and Comment
Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, has published her Strategic Plan to cover the period 2017-2023. We are delighted to find that we are on the same wavelength: the plan explicitly highlights the importance of effective partnerships and...
by Graham Smith | May 5, 2017 | News and Comment
The House of Commons Audit Committee recently published its report Sustainable Development Goals in the UK. The Committee is critical of the Government’s lack of ambition in embedding the SDGs. As the report argues: The Sustainable Development Goals represent a...
by Graham Smith | Feb 5, 2017 | News and Comment
The Urban Heat project has released its final report highlighting the distinctive and largely untapped potential of the local voluntary and community group sector (VCS) in the developm ent of local climate resilience and emergency response. On the basis of three local...
by Graham Smith | Nov 26, 2016 | News and Comment
Early in November, the House of Common’s Environmental Audit Committee produced a damning report on the Treasury’s influence on sustainability policy in the UK. The Audit Committee was able to marshal considerable evidence that “the Treasury has ridden roughshod over...
by Graham Smith | Nov 4, 2016 | News and Comment
Part of the Artwork Tulevaisuus (Future), Väinö Aaltonen (1932) To mark her retirement as the Counsel for the Committee for the Future in the Finish Parliament, Paula Tiihonen brought together a group of significant thinkers and doers for an international seminar on...
by Graham Smith | Nov 4, 2016 | News and Comment
This week we have seen the UK government lose twice in the courts – once on air pollution and then on Article 50 to formally start the Brexit process. While there are voices questioning why in a democracy the courts should be able to overturn government...
by Graham Smith | Jul 19, 2016 | Blog, News and Comment
Whether you were for or against Brexit, most would agree that the referendum campaign was far from instructive. It brought out the worst in British politics: primarily two sets of over-privileged, middle-aged white males throwing opinions, thinly disguised as...
by Graham Smith | May 25, 2016 | Blog, News and Comment
Graham Smith is Professor of Politics at the Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster and a specialist in democratic innovation and citizen engagement, with a particular interest in climate politics and the representation of future generations. He...
by Graham Smith | Mar 6, 2016 | News and Comment
The floods that hit wide areas of the UK at the end of last year were devastating for many communities. In many places local crisis management was found wanting. But in Leeds, the spontaneously self-organised volunteering infrastructures were exemplary in their...
by Graham Smith | Dec 4, 2015 | News and Comment
How to sustain democratic politics in the face of climate change? This is the central challenge raised by David Runciman, Professor of Politics at the University of Cambridge in this review essay of recent books on climate politics originally published by the London...
