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The Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development focused on making the connections between democratic governance and sustainable development. It transferred its work to the School for International Futures in 2025.
We were very sorry to hear of the death of Malcolm Aickin in December 2024, a former long-serving and dedicated trustee of FDSD. Malcolm was one of the founders of the Environment Foundation in 1982 and joined us in transforming that into FDSD before retiring as a trustee in 2010.
This newsletter is the second in a series exploring how sustainable development, future generations and wellbeing are being incorporated into democracy and public policy around the UK.
In this article, Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner of Wales, sets out his Office’s new seven year strategy, arguing that the WfG Act has to now “work harder and faster”, even though, at the same time as public finances, including his own office, are under severe pressure.
From national to local level, Scotland is rethinking how its policy, and participation practices, can better reflect sustainable development, wellbeing, and the needs of future generations. This FDSD newsletter showcases some of the activities that are happening, or are being considered.
The public’s perspectives on future generations are highly structured by the context in which they are articulated. A long-term perspective is rarely taken by people when they make immediate and everyday decisions – with the exception of those motivated by ‘lifetime-transcending interests’.
FDSD has been quiet during COVID, but not inactive. We have been rethinking how we can best contribute to the profound challenges facing democracies today.