In this episode of Cities 1.5, host David Miller speaks with Sophie Howe, the world's first Future Generations Commissioner about her role and the landmark Wellbeing of Future Generations Act - legislation passed by the Welsh government which aims to improve the environment, economy, society, health and wellbeing of Wales and its people, both now and for future generations. They discuss the critical role of forward-thinking governance in addressing planetary emergencies, and the importance of integrating long-term impacts into current policies. The conversation covers how Wales' unique approach has influenced the creation of global declarations like the Pact for the Future, which was adopted by leaders at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024. We share crucial insights for cities, mayors and national governments who are looking to adopt similar principles, and highlight the transformative power of local leadership in driving global climate action. Listeners will also learn what a cwtch is, and why both people and the planet need one!

Image Credit: Photo by Patrick Gillespie on Unsplash

Featured guests:
Sophie Howe, Sustainability, Futures and Wellbeing Adviser and the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

Links
JCCPE - Special Issue on Ecological Economics
Earth may have breached seven of nine planetary boundaries, health check shows - The Guardian
UN Summit of the Future
UN Pact for the Future
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales website
Wellbeing for Future Generations Act
Welsh road building projects stopped after failing climate review - The Guardian
Cities 1.5 - Lessons in Wellbeing Economics: Engaging local communities to bring Academic Principles into Urban Practice
Wellbeing economy policy design guide - C40 Knowledge Hub
The shared ingredients for a wellbeing economy - C40 Knowledge Hub

If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website: https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/

Cities 1.5 is a podcast by University of Toronto Press and is produced in association with the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy.

Our executive producers are Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield.
Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/
Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/
Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/