Our politics is too short-term. Our democracy seems unable to deal with long-term challenges. But change is at hand.
With support from FDSD and other partners, The Big Issue founder, Lord Bird, has introduced the Future Generations Bill in the UK Parliament, and is working to build a cross-party alliance of MPs and Peers to change the law.
The ‘Future Generations Bill’ is an opportunity to embed long-termism, prevention and the interests of future generations at the heart of UK policy-making, aiming to tackle the climate crisis, poverty and health inequalities head on.
For background information and details about the campaign, see the #Todayfortomorrow website. The Bill can be read in full.
Our Chair of Trustees, Graham Smith says: “It’s high time that Parliament recognised that new ways of working are needed to avoid the short-termism endemic in our politics. So many of today’s big issues require a long-term perspective. Parliament and government have shown themselves incapable of acting for future generations. It is time for change. We are delighted to work with Lord Bird to build the #Todayfortomorrow alliance and see this Bill turn into law.”
The consideration of future generations in today’s decision making is a key theme of our work. Through campaigning, policy engagement and events we aim to seed change. The video of one of our workshops on future generations commissioners is available on our event page.
Links
- Provocation | An Opportunity for Transformational Change: A Provocation on the Potential for a Future Generations Commissioner for the UK | Andrea Westall
- Provocation | A UK wide Commissioner for Future Generations? | Cat Tully
- Report | The Democratic Case for an Office for Future Generations | Graham Smith
- Editorial Newsletter | Future Generations Commissioners: from Wales to the UK?
