In this episode we speak with the inspirational Jane Davidson, the former government minister who proposed the groundbreaking Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. We discuss how the Act came to be, the influence the legislation has had and why Wales is now being watched by countries around the world looking to follow its lead.
Jane Davidson is an environmentalist, author and international speaker. From 2000 - 2011, Jane was Minister for Education, then Minister for Environment and Sustainability in the Welsh Government, where she proposed legislation to make sustainability the central organising principle; the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act came into law in 2015. She introduced the first plastic bag charge in the UK, and her recycling regulations took Wales to third best in the world. She created a Climate Change Commission for Wales, the post of Sustainable Futures Commissioner, and the Wales Coast Path.
[00:00:00] Tom and Chloe update on the project, including an exciting update about the opening of the Grange Hub.
[00:04:17] Jane introduces herself and the rich influences from her background.
[00:13:23] We hear about the development of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, what it contains and what it means.
[00:21:02] Chloe asks about how the act was received at a government level.
[00:26:18] Tom questions Jane about examples of policy shifts associated with the act and she shares various examples, for example: universal basic income for care leavers, cessation of major road build projects in Wales and the 20mph speed limit in urban areas.
[00:33:30] Jane tells us about how the act gives the government permission to think differently.
[00:35:27] Tom asks Jane about the role of communication to all stakeholders around the act and we talk about the role of reframing and humour in this.
[00:44:09] We discuss the international response to the wellbeing act.
[00:47:54] Tom and Chloe reflect on the interview.
Mentioned in this episode:
Visit & Stay at the Grange Project
Would you like to escape the trappings of the modern world and wake-up in the morning to one of the best views in South Wales, where only the birds are noisy? We have two beautiful and sustainably built ‘tiny homes’, carefully located in secluded locations across our 80 acre rewilding project.
