The Future Generations Commissioner, Derek Walker, has launched the Future Generations Report 2025 at an event held at the National Museum in Cardiff to mark ten years of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. The Future Generations Report is produced every five years, one year before the Senedd election is held. The report features the Commissioner’s views and advice to policy makers on what steps are needed to help protect and provide for people living today and those yet to be born.
The report calls for action on nature, climate and health, stating that Wales is not on target to meet the long-term goals set for these areas.
In total the report makes fifty recommendations for Welsh Government and public bodies in Wales on topics such as climate and nature, culture and the Welsh language, the well-being economy and health and well-being in general. Among these are eleven urgent calls to action which listed on the Future Generations Commissioner website. These include:
- No more short-term fixes: Politicians and public bodies must commit to the long-term future of Wales, setting out plans not just for the next five years, but the next 50.
- Supercharge actions with multiple benefits: Decarbonisation can cut costs, nature restoration improves public health, and buying local creates jobs. In tough financial times, we must focus on win-wins.
- Unlock private sector finance: Welsh Government should establish an expert team to help public bodies prepare investment-ready proposals that can attract private finance for nature recovery and net zero projects.
- A Real Living Wage commitment: Every public body must commit to a plan, within two years, outlining a timeline to achieve Real Living Wage accreditation. So far, only 13 of 56 public bodies have done so. This is a critical step in tackling poverty.
- Ringfence prevention funding: Welsh Government and public bodies must protect and increase prevention budgets each year and move towards long-term funding arrangements.
- A national food resilience plan: Welsh Government must develop a long-term plan to improve Wales’ food security and ensure equal access to local, affordable, healthy and sustainable diets.
- Culture must be protected: Welsh Government should introduce a Culture Bill in the Seventh Senedd (2026–2030), making culture a statutory requirement for public bodies and safeguarding our cultural rights.
- Rebuild trust in decision-making: Public bodies must renew their efforts to involve people in shaping policies, reducing the gap between policymakers and citizens.
- Invest in public services: The UK and Welsh Governments must increase public service funding year on year. Austerity has driven severe cuts, leaving services struggling.
- Simplify partnerships and funding: Welsh Government must review and streamline partnership structures across Cymru to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucracy.
- Review and strengthen the WFG Act: Welsh Government should initiate a post-legislative review of the Well-being of Future Generations Act to enhance its impact and to prepare for the United Nations’ updated Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. This review must include a public dialogue on the Wales we want for future generations.
In a statement, Derek Walker said:
“Wales has led the way for the past 10 years with our collective vision for a Cymru that’s protecting future generations, but we’re not on target to meet our health, climate and nature goals that will get us there.
“Future generations will live with the consequences of every decision we take to improve people’s lives and with trust in public institutions in decline, we must listen more, engage meaningfully with people’s concerns, and involve them without delay.
“The challenges are significant but not insurmountable and we have to work fast to scale up the good examples of change, and create more benefits for everybody as we decarbonise, restore nature, improve public health and create local jobs and an economy that works for people and planet.”
To find out more, and to read the report in full, follow this link to the Future Generations Commissioner’s website.
