Our final Clebran session of 2022 on Saturday at 2pm turns our gaze to the future with Turner prize nominated artist Rabab Ghazoul, Róise Goan, Artistic Director of Arts Admin, and presenter Molly Palmer sharing ideas about how we might imagine our future, together with Jane Davidson, vanguard of Wales’ world-leading Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, and session host, historian and writer Dr Christopher Kissane.

Read more here.

About this Event

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 the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development are delighted to invite you to the latest in the series of dialogues on the Nature of Prosperity, hosted by Dr Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury. This event is held online and will also celebrate the previously unpublished authors who responded to CUSP's call on Nature Writing and the Common Good.

CONTACT

The event is free of charge, but places are limited. For enquiries, please email events@cusp.ac.uk. Register on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-nature-of-prosperity-dialogue-saving-the-good-life-tickets-123012538815

AGENDA

• 11.15 | Introduction and Welcome—Graham Smith (FDSD Chair, Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy)

• 11.20 | Becoming a good ancestor: reframing democracy for tomorrow—Rowan Williams (Poet and Philosopher, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury) in conversation with Jane Davidson (Pro Vice-Chancellor Emeritus UWTSD, author of '#futuregen'), Roman Krznaric (Philosopher, author of 'The Good Ancestor') and Rebecca Willis (Professor in Practice at Lancaster University, author of 'Too Hot to Handle?').

• 12.35 | Q&A with participants

• 13.00 | Lunch and Vision Project

• 14.00 | Nature Writing and the Common Good—Kate Oakley (CUSP, Glasgow University) and Ian Christie (CUSP, University of Surrey) introducing the aims of CUSP's New Nature Writing call

• 14.15 | Excerpt from a finalist: Orlaith Delargy

• 14.25 | Writing about Nature: beyond caricature and nostalgia—Tim Jackson (Economist and playwright, Director of CUSP) in conversation with Louisa Adjoa Parker (Writer, Poet and Diversity Consultant), Madeleine Bunting (Writer and former Guardian Columnist, author of 'Labours of Love, the Crisis of Care') and Jessica Lee (Writer and environmental historian, author of 'Two Trees Make a Forest')

• 15.15 | Q&A with participants

• 15.35 | Excerpt from a finalist: Mahima Sukhdev

• 15.45 | Reflections on the day: Rowan Williams

• 16.00 | Close

ABOUT

The Nature of Prosperity Dialogue is a series of public debates engaging young and old alike across business, policy and civil society in one of the most vital questions of our time: what does prosperity mean in a world of environmental and social limits?

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, we’re delighted to invite you to hear their thoughts about this vital issue and to participate with them in this vital conversation.

Speakers are:

• Camilla Toulmin – 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)

• Oliver Bettis – Spokesperson for Resource and Environment, Institute of Actuaries (IFoA)

• Sian Ferguson – Trust Executive, Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts

• Jeremy Oppenheim – Senior Managing Partner, Systemiq Ltd

• Simon Sharpe – Deputy Director, UK Government’s Cabinet Office COP26 Uni

• Chaired by Tim Jackson – Director, CUSP.

WHERE

 Online

WHEN

Tuesday, 27 October 2020
2–4pm (GMT)

CONTACT

The event is free of charge, but places are limited. You can register your seat via Eventbrite. For enquiries, please email events@cusp.ac.uk.

Join Jane Davidson, proposer of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act and author of "#futuregen: lessons from a small country," as she discusses with Leith Sharp, Director and Lead Faculty, Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership at Harvard University, and Meghan Fay Zahniser, Executive Director at AASHE, why now is the time for others to also consider what actions should be taken today to protect our children tomorrow.

More information and sign up here

A virtual festival of farming, food and nature.
Join Green Recovery Wales from July 20th – 23rd for 4 days of activities, ideas and discussions focused on farming and land management, sustainable food systems, restoring wildlife and working together towards a greener future for Wales.

During this festival, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the role that rural Wales can play in ensuring the well-being of this and future generations in Wales, tackling the climate and ecological crisis we face, talking to politicians, decision makers and innovators across the environment and farming sectors.

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Tuesday 21 July

10.00-11.00am: Welcome message from Gareth Wyn Jones

11.00-12.00pm: Live Discussion: A Welsh Food System Fit For Future Generations

Launched in March this year, ‘A Welsh Food System Fit For Future Generations’ report produced by the Sustainable Places Research Institute at Cardiff University, commissioned by WWF Cymru, highlights what an integrated food system should look like in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Many of the recommendations from this report are arguably even more relevant now given the COVID 19 pandemic. An expert panel will explore the report’s findings, taking into account the current context, and discuss how best we design a food system in Wales that works hand-in-hand with nature and truly delivers well-being for future generations.

2.00-3.00pm: Live Discussion: Launch of the FFCC Wales Report

The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission launches its Wales Report, exploring the opportunities and challenges provided by the Welsh policy framework to make more rapid progress towards sustainable practices, with farming as a force for change. Chaired by Jane Davidson, our panel will look at some of the leading-edge work already underway across Wales, from the structural to the hyper-local, and consider how we ensure that policy translates into more healthy, nutritious and affordable food, better connected and more sustainable farming systems (including agroecology) and an integrated planning and decision making process for land use.  

4.00-5.00pm: Live Discussion: Land Sparing v Land Sharing. – Chaired by Jane Davidson

Discussion around how land can be shared, bridging the gap between different land use interests (including agricultural, wildlife and ecosystem regeneration, housing and leisure and tourism uses) towards understanding how land can deliver multiple benefits.

6.00-7.00pm: Live Panel Discussion: From Farm to Fork

The Covid-19 crisis has challenged the way think about our food system.  It has highlighted the importance of local food and farming in harmony with nature.  Join us to hear from 4 farmers who will offer insight into their farm to fork initiatives and the importance of nature friendly farming.

More information here

Join former Welsh minister and author Jane Davidson and Lord John Bird in conversation about Wales’s groundbreaking Well-being of Future Generations Act, and the development of similar legislation in the UK, led by Lord Bird. Moderated by Professor Tim O’Riordan, the conversation will delve into what this Act means for Wales, how Lord Bird took inspiration from it, how it has influenced people and governments, and how it will impact future generations both in the UK and around the world. 

Register here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1715935306870/WN_buWO_lwnQgiGFSEgEREaNg

You are warmly invited to Pembrokeshire Community Food Network's online event focused on food security. With such a positive upsurge in community interest and action around food sovereignty and security, the time is ripe for community action that will build a sustainable future in Pembrokeshire. We hope this meeting will help us gain an insight into some of the changes that are happening in Wales and to discuss what practical actions we would like to take in Pembrokeshire.

We have some fantastic guests to speak to us:

• Jane Davidson is the author of FutureGen: Lessons from a Small Country released in June 2020. As a Welsh government minister she pioneered the Well-being of Future Generations Act as well as introducing the charge on plastic bags, and creating the Welsh Climate Change Commission. Her mission is to make sustainability mainstream.

• Jane Powell is a writer, editor and activist who is active in community food projects in Aberystwyth. She is co-ordinator of the Welsh Food Manifesto and the Wales Real Food and Farming Conference. Her interests lie in the values within the food system and how it is shaped by them.

• Gary Mitchell is the joint co-ordinator for Wales at Social Farms and Gardens which supports communities to improve the health and well being of ourselves and our environment by making nature-based projects part of our every day lives

• Rhiannon James is the Farming Connect development officer for North Pembrokeshire. She supports farmers and foresters to become more resilient and sustainable for the future.

There will be short talks from each speaker followed by a chance for questions, discussion and creating some action points we'd like to work on as a network.

There are links in the comments to recent articles/press releases and websites relevant to our speakers to give you a flavour of what they'll be talking about.

PLANED are kindly helping us host this event.

Topic: Pembrokeshire Community Food Network

Time: Jul 9, 2020 06:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83666010235

More information here

Next steps for biodiversity and species protection in the UK - policy developments, local and key sector approaches to environmental stewardship, and priorities for the OEP

The agenda:

• Emerging issues for the Office for Environmental Protection - with Professor Colin Reid, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Dundee, and Michael Barlow, Partner, Burges Salmon

• Enhancing biodiversity for future generations - with Dr Jane Davidson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Emeritus, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and Patron, CIEEM

• Local approaches to environmental protection: Local Nature Recovery Strategies, monitoring biodiversity, and promoting species protection

• Incorporating biodiversity net gain within the planning system - with Professor David Hill CBE, Chairman, Environment Bank, and Commissioner, Food Farming and Countryside Commission

• Priorities for ensuring biodiversity and species protection across key sectors

• Next steps for ecological restoration and protecting biodiversity - with Tony Juniper, Chair, Natural England

More information here

When thinking about the future it can fill us with hope and anxiety, it is fraught with both opportunity and risk. 

Beth Smith will be in conversations with Jane Davidson, Dave Snowden, and Thomas Stewart to discuss how to navigate these issue and create cultures and organisations that are able to learn, adapt and thrive. 

Some questions to ponder – 

Who is responsible for setting society’s visions for the future; and how?

What is the role of the individual, communities, business and government?

What is a ‘better’ future?  How do we get from where we are now towards a better, more sustainable future?

Click here for more information

We are thrilled to invite you to celebrate the launch of Jane Davidson's #futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country. We will be hosting an online conversation with Jane Davidson and Satish Kumar, editor emeritus of Resurgence & Ecologist, and founder of Schumacher College. Writer and regular Guardian contributor, Oliver Balch, will be moderating the conversation and Q&A. We look forward to having you there and to raising a glass to toast Jane and her new book!

ABOUT THE BOOK
In #futuregen, Jane Davidson explains how, as Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, she proposed the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015—the first piece of legislation on Earth to place regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government. Unparalleled in its scope and vision, the Act connects environmental and social health and looks to solve complex issues such as poverty, education and unemployment.

Davidson reveals how and why such groundbreaking legislation was forged in Wales—once reliant on its coal, iron and steel industries—and explores how the shift from economic growth to sustainable growth is creating new opportunities for communities and governments all over the world.

#futuregen is the inspiring story of a small, pioneering nation discovering prosperity through its vast natural beauty, renewable energy resources and resilient communities. It’s a living, breathing prototype for local and global leaders as proof of what is possible in the fight for a sustainable future.

Sign up to the webinar here.

#futuregen will be published 4th June by Chelsea Green. Available to pre-order at Waterstones and Amazon here:

Amazon - https://amzn.to/3e0AlT4

Waterstones - https://bit.ly/3e6LjpZ

Click here to find your local independent bookshop.

In a matter of weeks the immediate threat of mass casualties has forced governments to assert powers and spend funds never contemplated in the battle against climate change. Coronavirus has also shown us we can work and study remotely and have almost everything we need delivered to our door. It’s had the moonshot treatment. Doesn’t climate change deserve it too?

For more information and to register click here.

Hear from Dr Davidson, former Minister for Environment, Sustainability & Housing.

"What Wales is doing today, the world will do tomorrow"

These are the words of UN Assistant Secretary General Nikhil Seth, and in her new book, “#futuregen – Lessons from a Small Country”, former Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, Jane Davidson explains how she proposed what became the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

During the Briefing, she will explain why this groundbreaking legislation was forged here in Wales, and will explore how this shift from traditional economic growth to a more sustainable future is creating new opportunities for communities and governments all over the world.

Eventbrite link

#futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country, Wales and the World

In #futuregen, Jane Davidson explains how, as Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, she helped create the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015—the first piece of legislation on Earth to place regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government. Unparalleled in its scope and vision, the Act connects environmental and social health and looks to solve complex issues such as poverty, education and unemployment.

It’s a living, breathing prototype for local and global leaders as proof of what is possible in the fight for a sustainable future. Davidson is joined by Caroline Lucas MP, Jonathan Boston, a Professor in the Wellington School of Business and Government at Victoria University of Wellington, who advises the New Zealand government on their policy for future generations and Becky Ricketts, incoming President of NUS in Wales.

This event is live and there will be a Q&A afterwards.

Event information and registration here.

Join us online: Friday 22 May 2020, 1pm – 1.45pm

Virtual venue: Llwyfan Cymru Digidol – Wales Digital Stage

Jane Davidson explains how, as Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, she helped create the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015—the first piece of legislation on Earth to place regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government. Unparalleled in its scope and vision, the Act connects environmental and social health and looks to solve complex issues such as poverty, education and unemployment. She is joined by the First Minister for Wales, the Minister for International Affairs, and the Future Generations Commissioner.

#futuregen is the inspiring story of a small, pioneering nation discovering prosperity through its vast natural beauty, renewable energy resources and resilient communities. It’s a living, breathing prototype for local and global leaders as proof of what is possible in the fight for a sustainable future. Chaired by Guto Harri. 

For more information and to register, click here.

As part of the University’s response to the climate emergency, Christ Church will host the 5th Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE) conference, which will focus on navigating the paradoxes in sustainability education that are created by the conflicts between urgent action and the slow ways of education.

Dr Jane Davidson will be speaking about her new book #futuregen.

See her video contribution here.