On 3 March a new Alliance for Future Generations came together in the UK. The trigger for its formation was an inspirational visit by Hungary’s Ombudsman for Future Generations – a frequent partner of ours on environmental issues – to the UK in February 2010. A presentation he made at the British Ministry of Justice left a number of NGOs and individuals asking “what can we do here in the UK?”. The Alliance – whose members include the World Wildlife Fund -UK, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth and the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development – is one outcome. The Alliance’s foundation was preceded on 1 March by an announcement by Jane Davidson, the Welsh Environment Minister, of the appointment of a Commissioner for Sustainable Futures for Wales.
So thanks to Hungary for a great idea on which we can draw. I note that the office of the Ombudsman for Future Generations may be a casualty of the current exercise to redraft the Constitution here. But that doesn’t stop others using the concept!