Wales must think 100 years ahead, Not 100 Days, warns Future Generations Commissioner
The new Welsh Government will ultimately be judged on whether it delivers long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes, according to Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Derek Walker.
As a new Senedd term begins, the commissioner is urging ministers and politicians across all parties to focus on decisions that will protect people from future crises in food, energy, nature and public health.
Mr Walker warned that short-term decision-making has contributed to many of the challenges people are already facing and said Wales must plan “not just for the next 100 days, but for the next 100 years”.
He welcomed early commitments from the new Welsh Government which reflect recommendations made by his office, including plans for a national food strategy, greater Welsh ownership of renewable energy and ambitious targets for nature recovery.
But he warned that global instability and rising household costs are exposing long-standing weaknesses in food and energy systems, with Welsh families already facing increasing pressure from energy and food prices.
“Food insecurity, nature loss and rising energy costs are often treated as separate problems, but communities experience them as one interconnected reality in their quality of life,” he said.
“The solutions must be joined-up and bold enough not only to improve lives today, but to protect people from future shocks.”
The commissioner also called for urgent action to expand renewable energy, reduce energy bills and increase community ownership, noting that around a third of Wales’ electricity currently comes from renewable sources.
He also called for stronger legal targets for nature restoration and warned against delaying preventative action on health, climate and inequality.
Since publishing his recommendations to government in his Future Generations Report, every Public Services Board in Wales has committed to climate resilience planning, while local projects across Wales are demonstrating what fairer and greener communities can look like.
He also highlighted work to expand local food resilience plans and improve access to healthy, locally sourced food in schools.
Derek Walker is also calling on the new Senedd to establish a Committee for the Future and a Cross-Party Group for Future Generations to help keep long-term thinking at the heart of Welsh politics.
“Winning an election is one thing,” he said. “Protecting the future is the challenge none of us can afford to ignore.”
Featured image of Derek Walker by Huw John
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