Can small countries and small (and diverse) farms offer solutions to the crises we face? How can we move away from the ‘bigger is better’ narrative that underpins so much of farming today? And what are the key values we need in future policy and legislation to support a small-farm future? Authors Chris Smaje and Jane Davidson discuss these big questions, and more, in a conversation chaired by Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. With the enormous challenges of climate change, economic inequality, biodiversity loss, and more, the conversation delves into the myriad possibilities that small farms offer when imagining our future.
The Chancellor's Lecture 2020 - #futuregen: How to be a Good Ancestor
On Wednesday 9 December 2020, the University of Gloucestershire was delighted to welcome Dr Jane Davidson to present this year's Chancellor's Lecture, #futuregen: How to be a Good Ancestor.
In Conversation with Jane Davidson: Andy Middleton
In the latest episode of ‘In Conversation with Jane Davidson,’ Jane speaks to Andy Middleton, CEO of TYF Adventure. Passionate about the environment, Andy founded TYF in 1986, and has since started other eco businesses. They discuss the relationship between sustainability and business, the freedom of entrepreneurship, the evolution of TYF Adventure and more
Green Party Conference: The Future Generations Act
When we work together, our common ground becomes our path to progress. That is how we turn ideas into action, and action into lasting systems change.
That’s exactly what happened in Wales. It started as a radical idea, the first of its kind: The Future Generations Act, weaving together regeneration and social justice for generations to come. It’s time England followed suit.
Now? They have the ‘world’s first commissioner of the unborn’, responsible for delivering social, economic and cultural well-being for current and future generations.
How does it work? How do we measure impact on the future? Are mindsets changing in Wales? Is the act creating the systems change it set out to achieve? Why do we need an act for future generations? And what can England and beyond learn from Wales, as the Future Generations Bill is brought to Parliament?
Festival of Ideas: Jane Davidson
Creating a better future means planning, action and change now. As Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, Jane Davidson proposed the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 – the first piece of legislation in the world to place regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government. The Act connects environmental and social health and looks to solve complex issues such as poverty, education and unemployment. Since the act, the Senedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament has appointed a Future Generations Commissioner.
Davidson reveals how and why such ground-breaking legislation was forged in Wales and explores how the shift from economic growth to sustainable growth is creating new opportunities for communities and governments all over the world. She talks about the changes that have resulted and are to come. As other countries and places look to introduce similar acts, Davidson offers an essential guide to getting this right and having an impact.
Chaired by Stephen Hilton, founder and director of Bristol Futures Global and formerly leader of Bristol Futures at Bristol City Council.
CUSP: Nature of Prosperity Dialogue with Rowan Williams, Jane Davidson, Roman Krznaric & Rebecca Willis
How can we nurture visions of the good life that preserve nature and protect the interests of future generations? Can new institutions help us to re-invigorate democracy? Can creativity inspire us to conserve what we love? How can we become the ‘good ancestors’ we would wish for our kids, in the world they will inherit? CUSP and FDSD are delighted to invite you to the latest in the series of dialogues on the Nature of Prosperity, hosted by Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.
Thinking about Recovery—An Audience with the CUSP Advisory Committee
As UK and EU governments struggle to articulate the foundations for a fair, green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, we explore what can be learned from recent debates about wellbeing, societal transformation and sustainable prosperity. For the last five years, our CUSP Advisory Team has supported, guided and inspired our work at the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity.
In this unique webinar, you hear their thoughts about this vital issue and engage with the audience in this vital conversation. Speakers are: Camilla Toulmin (CUSP AdCom Chair, Economist and former Director of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)), Alice Bell (Director of Communications, Possible), Jane Davidson (Pro Vice-Chancellor Emeritus, University of Wales Trinity Saint David), Katherine Trebeck (Advocacy and Influencing Lead, Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll)), Henrietta Moore (Director, UCL Institute for Global Prosperity), Oliver Bettis (Former Chairperson of the Sustainability Board, Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA)), Sian Ferguson (Trust Executive, Ashden Trust, JJ Charitable Trust and Mark Leonard Trust), Jeremy Oppenheim (Senior Managing Partner, Systemiq Ltd), Simon Sharpe (Deputy Director, UK Government’s Cabinet Office COP26 Uni); chaired by CUSP Director Tim Jackson.
Food, Farming and Countryside Commission - Trade Unwrapped: Jane Davidson and Carwyn Jones in Discussion
Throughout this series, Trade Unwrapped talks to trade experts, policy makers and the British public to understand what issues really matter. How much do we or should we care about standards, fairness, and about protecting British interests? And what are the connections between trade and climate, nature, jobs, and health?
Jane Davidson and Carwyn Jones discuss the ‘recipe for conflict’ at the heart of the Internal Markets Bill, the impact it could have on standards in devolved nations - and how the UK could find common ground.
Paramaethu Cymru Online Gathering 2020
Why Paramaethu Cymru?
Permaculture finds a natural home in Wales, a country which has sustainable development in its constitution and has always valued the local ‘square mile’, cooperation and education. There are many examples of permaculture in practice here, including smallholdings, community gardens, design courses and schools programmes and now is the time to make all this more visible.
Paramaethu Cymru – the term ‘paramaethu’ (from para, lasting: amaethu, farming; maeth, nurture) was adopted at the 2012 Eisteddfod – now has a bilingual website at http://wales.permaculture.org.uk where we are mapping projects, courses, events and news. This will enable permaculture to connect to national institutions concerned with government, farming, environment and education, as well as allowing the general public to get involved in their local area.
Programme
Dr Jane Davidson: 12pm Jane Davidson is the author of #futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country and Chair of the Wales Inquiry of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. From 2007- 2011, she was Minister for Environment and Sustainability in Wales where she proposed legislation to make sustainability the central organising principle of government; the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act came into law in 2015. She is patron of CIEEM (Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) and Tools for Self Reliance Cymru. She lives on an organic smallholding in west Wales.
Jane Powell: 2pm What should we ask for in a Food Manifesto for Wales? – is to help shape the food system in Wales. It is closely aligned with the Well-being of Future Generations Act and is based on principles of citizenship and shared values. See https://foodmanifesto.wales/ for further details.
Dr Matt Swarbrick: 4pm What would permaculture inspired farming in Wales look like?
Matt is a farmer at Henbant in North West Wales. He is an ecologist by background, is passionate about farm-scale permaculture and would love to see the world's problems solved through good farming and great food.
We’re now on a mission as a farm to see what happens if you apply permaculture design to a small welsh hill farm.. Is it possible to produce real food, pay a mortgage, build biodiversity and soil, build social capital and community, and to do so while enjoying it? And if it is possible surely that would solve the world's problems? Well possibly not but it could solve most of Wales' problems? If it can, why aren't more people doing it? And what would it look like if they were?..
Matt will share a short video and we then can discuss this topic... It's just as relevant.
Dr Elizabeth Westaway: 6pm Food as Medicine - a public health nutritionist who is promoting nutrient-dense food and 'Food as Medicine' to reduce/prevent diet-related non-communicable diseases, e.g. Type 2 diabetes.
#futuregen and Nature: Jane Davidson & Tony Juniper in Conversation
In this webinar, streamed live on 9 September 2020, CIEEM Patrons Jane Davidson and Tony Juniper discuss the concepts in Jane’s new book (#FutureGen: Lessons from a small country) and the implications for nature. The event was moderated by Stephanie Wray CEcol CEnv FCIEEM.