Environment and Sustainability

The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals: Interview: Jane Davidson on Wales' sustainable development for future generations

“Jane Davidson tells Chris Seekings how one small nation is harnessing the power of politics for sustainable development

Jane Davidson’s career has always been centred around caring for future generations, whether as minister for environment, sustainability and housing in the Welsh government, or as the nation’s education secretary.

The former politician was instrumental in delivering the first piece of legislation in history to place regenerative and sustainable practices at the heart of government: the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 – blazing a trail for the rest of the world.

Her latest book, #futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country, details how the ground-breaking Act came to be, and how other countries can move towards a more sustainable future.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Galileo: Leben im selbstgebastelten Paradies: Das Haus ohne Strom-, Wasser- & Gaskosten (Living in the self-made paradise: The house without electricity, water & gas costs)

Keine Kosten für Strom, heißes Wasser und Gas? Eine Familie aus Wales zeigt, wie es geht. In ihrem nachhaltigen Traumhaus, das sie mit Materialien aus 2. Hand selbstgebaut haben, leben sie klimaneutral und autark.

No costs for electricity, hot water and gas? A family from Wales shows how it's done. In their sustainable dream home, which they built themselves with 2nd-hand materials, they live climate-neutrally and self-sufficiently.


Oxford Real Farming Conference: Intergenerational Land Ownership Beyond the FamilyTree

What happens if landowners entrust their land to more distributed and diverse forms of ownership and governance than a single bloodline? Might a culture of diversity lead to even greater resilience? Two progressive estate owners, a lawyer, an agro-economist and a researcher explore emerging models of land governance designed to enable more people to tend the soil for future generations, whilst growing the fabric of communities. What are the opportunities and risks in sharing the prosperity of, and responsibility for, the land? We will enquire into the benefits and drawbacks of both the old order and the emerging order now taking root in some places.

Speakers: Miriam Rose (Hardwick Estate), Olivia Oldham (University of Edinburgh), Ninian Stuart (Falkland Estate), Patrick Andrews (Barefoot lawyer), Tom Carman (Shared Assets)
Chair: Jane Davidson (University of Wales Trinity Saint David, land restorer and author)

Techonomy: Seeds of Sustainability in Wales. And Around the World?

“In 1861, a group of Welsh nationalists gathered in Engedi, a chapel in Caernarfon, on the coast of northwest Wales, to plan a Welsh colony in far-off Patagonia. At the time, in the midst of the Industrial Revolution, many Welsh rankled at the rule of England, the oppressiveness of mining and other industries, and the loss of their culture and identity. The confederates who met in Engedi hoped to regenerate Welsh culture by leaving Wales. In 1865, they succeeded in establishing Y Wladfa, and, today, several thousand people still speak Welsh on the east coast of Argentina.” Read more on Techonomy

Resurgence Trust and Carbon Savvy: Online Carbon Ambassadors Course

Gain a complete understanding of carbon reduction in eight easy, positive and uplifting sessions.

This course from The Resurgence Trust and Carbon Savvy gives you a complete overview of how carbon footprints work, the global, national and individual perspectives, the fastest ways to save CO2 and how this can raise our quality of life.

The course features expert guest speakers from diverse fields who share their knowledge and experience on the road to net zero. Guest speakers include: Mike Berners-Lee, author of "How Bad are Bananas?" Jane Davidson, author of "FutureGen," Baron Richard Layard, author of "Can We be Happier?" Satish Kumar, founder of Schumacher College, Kirsty Schneeberger from Climate Care, Paul Allen from Zero Carbon Britain, Rob Richmond, Carbon farmer and Lucy Pedler, Architect from The Green Register.

Read more about the course and how to sign up here

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) Podcast: Sustainable development and the well-being of future generations

In this episode of the SDG podcast series, Sustainability Board member, Shyam Gharial speaks to Jane Davidson, a former Welsh Assembly member in government between 1999 and 2011. As Minister for the Environment, Sustainability & Housing, Jane proposed legislation to make sustainable development the central organising principle for the government in Wales through what became known as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, which passed into law in 2015. Many other nations have been looking at how to implement similar legislation, including for the UK. The discussion touches on topics of intergenerational fairness, intragenerational fairness and the role that financial services can play in moving towards a more sustainable society.

See more episodes of the podcast here