comisiynyddFuture

cenedlaethau'rGenerations

Dyfodolcommissioner

cymruforwales

Future

Generations

Report2025

MAPOFDREAMSBYFLATBOY

(SERENTHOMAS)

Croeso

FOREWORD

FOREWORD

Theclimateandnaturecrisis,alongwithgrowing

inequality,arethreateningthewell-beingofourchildrenandgrandchildren.

Withouturgentaction,we’dbeontrackforan

unrecognisablefuture,wherethechoiceswehave

beforeustodayaretakenaway,ormademoredifficultthanwecouldeverimagine.

OurWell-beingofFutureGenerationsAct(WFGAct),providesuswithapathwayforpositivechange,

ensuringthatthecommitmentsCymruhasmadeto

improvinglives—bothnowandforfuturegenerations—arerealised.

InupcomingSeneddandlocalgovernmentelections,politiciansmustsetoutnotonlytheircommitmentsforthenextfiveyearsbutalsotheirvisionforthenext50.

Thismeansclearlyoutlininghowtheywill:

?Reversenatureloss

?Reducecarbonemissions

?Alleviatepoverty

?Decreaseinequality

?Preventillhealth

?Fixourbrokenfoodsystem

?Protectandenhanceculturalwell-being

Aswedebateourfuture,wemustberesponsivetoargumentsthataremisleadinganddivisive,orthatignorelong-termconsequences,featuresofrecentelectionsaroundtheworld.

ByDerekWalker

Withtrustinpublicinstitutionsindecline,wemustlistenmore,engagemeaningfullywithpeople’sconcerns,andinvolvethemindecision-making.Withoutthis,trustwillcontinuetoerode.

Cymruhaschosenadifferentpath,onethatlookstothefutureand

prioritiseswell-being,andwemuststicktoit.Everyactionwemake

togethermakesadifference.

Iamawarehowchallengingitistoworkinapublicbodytodayandhowdifficultitcanbetomakethenecessary,urgentandtransformativechangeforpeopleacross

Wales,includingthevoicelessyet-to-be-born.Yearsof

austerityhavecomeataheavyprice.ItoorecognisethedifficultiespublicserviceshavefacedbecauseofexternalandglobalfactorsbeyondtheircontrolsuchasCOVID-19andconflict.

ThisstatutoryFutureGenerationsReport,published

onthe10thanniversaryoftheWFGAct,isdesignedtosupportpoliticiansandpublicbodyleadersinmakinglifebetterforpeoplenowandinthefuture.

2

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025FOREWORD

3

FOREWORD

ByDerekWalker

Insidethisreport,you’llfind:

?Anassessmentofprogresssofar

?Targetedadvice

?Examplesofpositivechangealreadyhappeninginourpublicservices

Croeso

Thisreportisbasedonextensiveevidence,including:

?Researchandanalysisof

Well-beingofWales

reports

?Engagementwithhundredsofpublicbodyrepresentatives

?Twoin-depthWFGActSection20reviews

?ClosecollaborationwithAuditWales

forananti-racistWales,aprogressiveschool

curriculum,andevenaUnitedNationsdeclaration.Peopleinthefuturewillask,whatdidwedo

tomakeWalesandtheworldbetter.

Wemustbeabletosaywedideverythingwecould.Solet’smovefaster,gofurther,andalways

remember—whatwedotodaywillprofoundlyshapethelivesofthoseborntomorrow.

Ihavelistenedtopublicsectororganisations,theprivateandvoluntarysectors,communities,individuals,and

subjectexpertstounderstandwhatactionisneeded.Throughmystrategy,

CymruCan

,myteamandI

havesetoutaplanforreaching2030withbetter

implementationofWales’well-beingcommitment.Thisreportextendsthesupportwearealreadyproviding

topublicbodiesinpursuitofthatambition.

ThereismuchtobeproudofonWales’well-beingjourneyoverthepastdecade.

DerekWalker,FutureGenerationsCommissionerforWales

InspiredbyFirstNationsIroquoisteachings,theWFGActhashelpeddrivesignificantchange,includingambitioustransportpolicies,thevision

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025FOREWORD

4

CONCLUSIONS

Theoverall

conclusionsofthisreport.

PeopleinCymruarerightlyproudthat

wehaveasharedvisionfortheWaleswewantforfuturegenerations.

TheWell-beingofFutureGenerationsActprovidesaframeworkforthisvision.

Thechallengeswefacearesignificant,buttheyarenotinsurmountable.

Sincecommittingtothisjourney10yearsago,

Cymruhasmadeprogress—fromfreeschool

mealsforprimarypupilstobeingthesecond-best

countryintheworldforrecycling.Butmuchmore

needstobedone.Weareinaclimateandnature

emergency.Povertylevelsremainunacceptablyhigh.Thesolutionsexist;weneedtoimplementthem.

Delayingactionmakeschangemoreexpensiveanddifficult.Futuregenerationswilllivewiththeconsequencesofourdecisions.

Changewillhappen,bycrisisorbychoice.Wemustactnow.

AUKGovernmenteconomicstrategyfocusedsolelyongrowthputswell-beingatrisk.

Cymruhaschosenadifferentpath,whichprioritiseseconomicgrowthforapurpose,whichisthewell-beingofpeopleandplanet.Wemuststaythe

courseandensurenationalandregionaleconomicplansaimtoachieveWales’well-beinggoals.

TheWelshpublicsector’snetzerotargetfor2030isanimportantdriverforchange,butmanypublicbodieswillnotmeetitwithoutadditionalresources.

Preventionbudgetsarebeingcut,andessentialactivitiesdeprioritised.

Asaresult,theNHSisincreasinglyoverwhelmedwithpreventablediseasesandaccidents.Thisisanact

ofcollectiveself-sabotage.Wecontinuetotreatthesymptomsratherthanaddressingrootcauses.

Ourfoodsystemisunsustainable.

Cymrucannotachieveitssevenwell-beinggoals,netzerotargetsorimprovedpublichealthwithoutensuringequalaccesstolocal,affordable,healthyandsustainablediets.

Cultureisincrisis.

Itisoftenamongthefirstareastofacecuts,yetcultureisnota‘nicetohave,’itisvitaltoourwell-being.

Trustinourpublicinstitutionsisdeclining.

Discontentisgrowing,inequalityisincreasing,andvoterturnoutislow.Ifpeople'svoicesarenotbeingheard,trustwillcontinuetoerode.

ThecapacityoftheWelshpublicsectorisatbreakingpointduetorisingdemandandyearsofausterity.

Withoutinvestment,ourpublicserviceswillnotbetherewhenweorourchildrenneedthem.

Partnershipandfunding

structuresaretoocomplicated.

Publicbodiesrepeatedlyhighlightthatfunding

arrangementsareshort-term,inconsistentandunclear,addingpressurewhencapacityisalreadysostretched.PartnershipsestablishedbyWelshGovernment

oftenlacklong-termplanningandcoherence.

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025FOREWORD

CALLSTOACTION

WhatIamaskingpoliticiansand

publicbodiesinWalestodo.

?Nomoreshort-termfixes.

Politiciansandpublicbodiesmustcommittothelong-termfutureofWales,settingoutplansnotjustforthenextfiveyears,butthenext50.

?Superchargeactionswithmultiplebenefits.Decarbonisationcancutcosts,nature

restorationimprovespublichealth,and

buyinglocalcreatesjobs.Intoughfinancialtimes,wemustfocusonwin-wins.

?Unlockprivatesectorfinance.

WelshGovernmentshouldestablishanexpertteamtohelppublicbodiesprepareinvestment-readyproposalsthatcanattractprivatefinancefornaturerecoveryandnetzeroprojects.

?ARealLivingWagecommitment.

Everypublicbodymustcommittoaplan,

withintwoyears,outliningatimelineto

achieveRealLivingWageaccreditation.

Sofar,only13of56publicbodieshavedoneso.Thisisacriticalstepintacklingpoverty.

?Ringfencepreventionfunding.

WelshGovernmentandpublicbodiesmustprotectandincreasepreventionbudgetseachyear,andmovetowardslong-termfundingarrangements.

?Anationalfoodresilienceplan.

WelshGovernmentmustdevelopalong-

termplantoimproveWales’foodsecurity

andensureequalaccesstolocal,affordable,healthyandsustainablediets.

?Culturemustbeprotected.

WelshGovernmentshouldintroduceaCulture

BillintheSeventhSenedd(2026–2030),makingcultureastatutoryrequirementforpublic

bodiesandsafeguardingourculturalrights.

?Rebuildtrustindecision-making.

Publicbodiesmustrenewtheireffortsto

involvepeopleinshapingpolicies,reducingthegapbetweenpolicymakersandcitizens.

?Investinpublicservices.

TheUKandWelshGovernmentsmustincreasepublicservicefundingyearonyear.Austerityhasdrivenseverecuts,leavingservicesstruggling.

?Simplifypartnershipsandfunding.

WelshGovernmentmustreviewandstreamlinepartnershipstructuresacrossCymruto

improveefficiencyandreducebureaucracy.

?ReviewandstrengthentheWFGAct.

WelshGovernmentshouldinitiateapost-

legislativereviewoftheWell-beingofFutureGenerationsActtoenhanceitsimpactandtopreparefortheUnitedNations’updated

SustainableDevelopmentGoalsin2030.Thisreviewmustincludeapublicdialogueon

theWaleswewantforfuturegenerations.

5

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025ARTISTCOMMISSIONS

ARTISTCOMMISSIONS

Imaginingapositivefuture

Inthisreport,Irecognisethatartistsandcreativeshaveanimportantroletoplaybyusingtheirskillsandexperiencetoshapethedevelopmentanddeliveryof

publicservices,tosupportinnovationinallareasofpubliclife.Artistsandcreativescannotonlyconnectusandcommunicatecomplexissues,butcanalsoinspire,challengeandhelpustoimaginethepositivefuturewearestrivingtowards.Aspartofmycommitmenttoexploreinnovativeapproachestoexpandhowweengageculturalfreelancersacrossourwork,IhavecommissionedfiveartiststorespondcreativelytotheissuesandthemesoftheFutureGenerationsReport2025.

PaskalineMaiyo,Flatboy(SerenThomas),KyleStead,TeuluvonFlapandRightkeysonlywereselectedviaanopencallandinvitedtodeveloptheirwork

expressingtheirownviews.I’vebeenenlightenedbythevibrantandpowerfulwaysinwhichthey’vebroughtsomeoftheissuesthereportconsiderstolife,groundingtheminthereal-lifeexperiencesofcommunitiesinWalesandofferingbothinspirationandchallengetothosedeliveringpublicservices.

?PaskalineMaiyo’s“Tik’Tok’(LivingCanvas

forClimateChange)”isanevocativeartwork

thattransformsthehumanbodyintoavisual

narrative,illustratingtheprogressionofaday,

frommorningtoevening,toconveythecauses,impacts,andsolutionsrelatedtoclimatechange.

?Flatboy(SerenThomas)createda“MapofDreams”whichcapturestheartist'shopesforwhataWaleswhichfullyunderstandsandoperatesonasocialmodelofhealthcouldonedaylooklike.Ihaveuseda

versionofthisworkonthefrontcoverbutyoucanfindthefullartworkonpage71.

?Setagainstthedramaticbackdropofthe

RhonddaValleyfromMaerdyMountain,Kyle

Steaddeliversapowerfulspokenwordpiece

thatdemandsaction.Hehighlightsthecritical

needforimprovedmentalhealthsupport,

greaterinvestmentinartsandculture,anda

renewedappreciationfornature'shealingpower.

?TeuluvonFlap’s“BalancingAct”isa

performancetofilminwhichTeuluVonFlap

playaphysicalbalancinggameexploringthe

factorsthatcontributetotheirfamilyhealth

andwell-being,suchasclimate,culture,food

inequality,thehousingcrisis,healthandculture.

?Rightkeysonly’strack“Mi”addressesclimate

actionfromadisabilityaccessibleperspective.

Combiningsamplesofbirds,bellowingwindandtreebrancheswithsynthbasslinesandelectronicstrings,Keyswasabletoembednatureasa

strongcollaboratorwithinthetrack,giftingthenaturalworldwithavoiceitdoesnotoftenhave.

Youcanviewtheartists’workandtheirstatementsalltogetheronour

website

.

Artistcommissions6

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025CONTENTS

7

CONTENTS

TheFutureisNow

03

Oursupportforwider136implementation

04

Annexes

0505

03

CymruCan:MissionsandAreasofFocus09

IMPLEMENTATIONANDIMPACT

CLIMATEANDNATURE

HEALTHANDWELL-BEING

CULTUREANDWELSHLANGUAGE

AWELL-BEINGECONOMY

FOOD100

BUDGETSETTINGFORFUTUREGENERATIONS110

01

12

27

47

65

84

04

01

02

140

Settinggoodwell-beingobjectivesandsteps118

02

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025

TheWell-beingofFutureGenerations(Wales)Act

The

Well-beingofFutureGenerations(Wales)

Act

(WFGAct)setsoutCymru’svisionfora

sustainablefuture.Itrequirespublicbodiesin

Walestoconsiderthelong-termimpactoftheirdecisions,workcollaborativelywithpeople,

communitiesandeachother,andtakeactiontopreventpersistentchallengessuchaspoverty,healthinequalitiesandclimatechange.

TheWFGActdefinessustainabledevelopmentinWalesas:“Theprocessofimprovingthe

economic,social,environmentalandculturalwell-beingofWalesbytakingaction,inaccordance

withthesustainabledevelopmentprinciple,aimedatachievingthewell-beinggoals.”

Toensureasharedpurpose,theWFGActsetsoutsevenwell-beinggoals.Publicbodiesmustworktowardsallsevengoals,notjustselectedones.

TheWFGActalsodefinesfivewaysofworkingthatpublicbodiesmustfollowtoachieve

thewell-beinggoals.Thesewaysofworking

encourageinnovation,reflectingthewayweliveandwhatweexpectfrompublicservices.

?Long-term

?Involvement

?Prevention

?Collaboration

?Integration

InApril2024,theWFGActwasamendedbythe

SocialPartnershipandPublicProcurementAct.This

amendmentreplaced‘decentwork’with

‘fairwork

’inthedefinitionofaAProsperousWaleswell-beinggoal.

WhoiscoveredbytheWFGAct?

TheWFGActappliesto56publicbodiesinWales,aswellastomanytownandcommunitycouncilswhichmusttakestepstomeettheobjectives

outlinedintheirlocalwell-beingplans.

EachlocalauthorityalsohasaPublicServicesBoard(PSB),responsiblefor:

?Assessinglocalwell-being.

?Settingobjectivesforimprovingwell-beingintheirarea.

?Developingaplanthatcontributestothenationalwell-beinggoals.

FutureGenerationsCommissioner

TheWFGActestablishestheroleofFutureGenerationsCommissionerforWales,whoisappointedbythe

FirstMinisterofWales.TheFutureGenerations

Commissioner’sroleistobetheguardianoffuturegenerations.Thismeanshelpingpublicbodies

andthosewhomakepolicyinWalestothinkaboutthelong-termimpactoftheirdecisions.Aswell

asprovidingadvice,theCommissionermonitorsandassessestheextenttowhichwell-being

objectivessetbypublicbodiesarebeingmet.

AuditorGeneralforWales

TheAuditorGeneralforWalesisrequiredtocarryoutexaminationstoassesstheextenttowhichpublic

bodieshaveappliedthesustainabledevelopment

principlewhensettingwell-beingobjectivesandtakingstepstomeetthem.Wherepractical,theexaminationshavebeenintegratedwihhiswiderpowersandduties.

YoucanfindtheAuditorGeneral’sfive-yearreportontheir

website

.

8

01

CymruCan:

Missionsand

AreasofFocus

01

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025CYMRUCAN

10

01

CymruCan:MissionsandAreasofFocus

ImplementationandImpact

ClimateandNature

HealthandWell-being

CultureandWelshLanguage

Well-beingEconomy

Mystrategy,CymruCan,isbuiltaroundfiveinterconnectedmissions:

ThesemissionsreflectthekeyareaswherethepublicsectormustfocusitscollectiveeffortstodrivethetransformationneededtoachieveWales’sevennationalwell-beinggoals.

Alongsidethesemissions,CymruCanidentifiescross-cuttingareasoffocus,suchasthefoodsystem,whichlinkdifferentmissionstogether.Youcanreadmoreinmy

CymruCanstrategy

.

Thisreportisstructuredaroundthesemissions

becauseprogressineachmaximisesourcontributiontoallwell-beinggoals.ThemissionsofferaframeworkfortacklingWales’integratedchallenges,highlightingwheredifferentwell-beingobjectivesoverlapand

guidingpublicsectoractiontowardlong-termchange.Byworkingcollectivelythroughthelensofthese

missionsandareasoffocus,wecanaddress

thedeep-rootedandinterconnectedchallenges

thatimpactourcommunities.Thisensuresevery

decisioncontributestoasharedvisionofwell-

beingforcurrentandfuturegenerations.

Iencourageyoutoexploreeachsectioninthis

report,regardlessofthesectoryouworkin.An

issueinhealthmayhelpsolveaprobleminculture,whileanexampleinclimateandnaturemayprovideideasforstrengtheningthewell-beingeconomy.

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025CYMRUCAN

11

WatchWhat'sOur

FuturebyKyleStead

KYLESTEADSPOKENWORDARTIST

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025CYMRUCAN

12

011.1

ImplementationandImpact

INTRODUCTION

“WehopethatwhatWalesisdoing

todaytheworldwilldotomorrow.

Action,morethanwords,isthehopeforourcurrentandfuturegenerations.”

NikhilSeth,FormerHeadofSustainableDevelopmentattheUnitedNations.

Ifwecontinuemakingdecisionsfocusedonly

ontoday,wewillfailtoimprovethewell-being

ofCymrutomorrow.Thisreportmakesclearthatactionisurgent,butCymruhasthepowertomeetthesechallengesanddrivemeaningfulchange.

ImplementationandImpact,orensuringtheWell-beingofFutureGenerations(Wales)Act(WFGAct)fully

deliversonitspromisetoimprovelivesnowandinthefuture,isthecoremissionofmystrategy,

CymruCan

.

Thissectionassessestheprogresspublicbodieshavemadeinimplementingthe

legislationanddrivingimpact.

Iwanttoensurethatpublicbodiesand

otherorganisationshavethesupport,

resources,expertiseandcapacityneeded

tocreatechangeatscaleandatpace.

Aswemarkthe10thanniversaryoftheWFGActin2025,wemustusethismomentto:

?Assessprogresssofar.

?AccelerateimplementationoftheWFGAct.

?Deepenimpactbybuildingonboldpoliciesanddecisionsfromthepastdecade.

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025CYMRUCAN

011.1

WAYSOFWORKINGPROGRESSCHECKER

WaysofWorkingProgressChecker

isatooldesignedforteams,individualsandorganisationstoassesshowwelltheyareapplyingthefivewaysofworking:

?Long-term

?Involvement

?Prevention

?Collaboration

?Integration

Thistoolhelpsorganisations

evaluatetheseprinciplesacrosstheirprocesses,people,andculture.

Mostpublicbodieshavecompletedthetool,founditusefulandsharedtheir

resultswithmyteam.TransportforWalesusedthetoolcollaboratively,involvingallstaffthroughaseriesofworkshops.

Myteamisavailabletofacilitatesessionsforpublicbodiesthatneedsupportin

completingtheProgressChecker.

13

ImplementationandImpact

MEASURINGANATION’SPROGRESS

The

Well-beingofWalesReport

tracksourcollectiveprogresstowardsthenationalwell-beinggoalsusing

nationalindicators

.Theseindicatorsprovideinsight

intohoweffectivelyweareimplementingtheWFGAct.IndependentlyproducedbytheChiefStatisticianforWales,thereportcontainsofficialnationalstatistics

thatassesswhetherwearemovingclosertoachievingourwell-beinggoalsandnationalmilestones.

IbelievepublicbodiesandPublicServices

Boardsshoulddrawonthereportwhensettingtheirwell-beingobjectivesandsteps.

Thelatestreport

presentsamixedpicture:

?Someindicatorshaveimproved,suchastheoverallemploymentrate,participationinsportbyadults,andpolicerecordedhatecrime

droppedby4%comparedtothepreviousyear.

?Manyindicatorshaveworsened,includinglifeexpectancyinWales,reflectingrisingpoverty,inequality,andpreventableillnesses.

Thenationalmilestonesaretargets,coveringseveralofthenationalindicatorsatonce.

Someshowprogress,including:

?A27%reductionindirectcarbon

emissionssincetheWFGActwas

introducedin2015(dataupto2021).

?Percentageofpeoplevolunteering.

However,manymilestoneshaveremainedstagnantordeclined.Thisnationalanalysishighlightsa

growingdivideinwell-being.WhileconditionsmaybeimprovingforsomeofthemostaffluentinWales,theyareworseningforpeopleandcommunities

facingbarriersandmultipledisadvantages.

TheAuditorGeneralforWaleshasexaminedhowwellpublicbodiesareapplyingthesustainabledevelopmentprinciple.Heconcluded:

?10yearsin,theWFGActhasincreasedinprominence.

?Notably,thereisstillmuchtodo

toapplytheWFGActtofunctions

suchasworkforceplanning,asset

management,andfinancialplanning.

?AcceleratingprogressundertheWFGActstartswithprioritisingprevention.

?Deliveringchangewillrequireactionfromallpublicbodiesindividually.Publicbodieswillneedbetterdata,aclearerpictureofresourceimplicationsandmeansofunderstanding

impactiftheyaretomakefurtherprogress.

?Butthatwillnotbeenough.Publicbodiesareworkinginanenvironmentthatdoesnotalwayspromotethatchange.Thereisactionthatgovernmentcouldtaketocreatetheconditionsforprogress.

Seniorleadersandofficersinevery

publicbodyandPublicServicesBoardsacrossCymrureportthatapplyingtheWFGActistherightthingtodo.The

innovationanddedicationdemonstratedbypeoplestrivingtoimprovesocial,

cultural,environmentalandeconomicwell-beingisevidentthroughoutthisreport,andextendsbeyondthepublicsector.Manyvoluntaryorganisationsandprivatebusinessesarealso

activelyworkingtoimprovewell-beingnowandforfuturegenerations.

Overthelastdecade,therehasbeen

afundamentalshiftinhowWelsh

Governmentandpublicbodiesoperate,leadingtothecreationofdedicated

sustainabledevelopmentteams,andnewdecision-makingprocesses

alignedwiththefivewaysofworkingandthewell-beinggoals.Ithasalsoledtotheintroductionofprogressivepolicies,including

LlwybrNewydd

(2021)

,the

CurriculumforWales

(2021)

and

BeyondRecycling(2021)

.

800

Thenumberofrequestsforadvice

andassistancemyteammonitorsandrespondstoonaverageayear.We

regularlytracktheprogressofpublicbodiesandPublicServicesBoards.

Localgovernmenthasincorporated

understandingoftheWFGActinto

itsnewself-evaluationprocessunder

theLocalGovernmentandElections

Act(2021).Manypublicbodieshave

adaptedorintroducedintegrated

impactassessmentstoreflecttheWFGAct.Nationalpublicbodiesareworkingbeyondtheirusualremittocollaborateandintegratetheirworkwithothers.

FUTUREGENERATIONSREPORT2025CYMRUCAN

●FINDING1:

ThereisstrongsupportfortheWell-beingofFuture

GenerationsActacrossthepublicsector.Publicservantsarecommittedtodoingtherightthingforthelong-term.

011.1

ImplementationandImp