Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

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Key definition

Sustainable definition

What does Sustainable mean? In legal practice, sustainable describes policies, projects, procurement and investments that meet present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet theirs, by conserving finite resources, preventing environmental harm and balancing social and economic factors. There is no single statutory definition of sustainable across England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The term is descriptive and applied within specific regimes, including: planning and environmental law (objectives of sustainable development; EIA/SEA), public sector duties (for example, the Well‑being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 sustainable development principle), and corporate/finance regulation (green claims and disclosure). In Ireland, usage is likewise descriptive, but certain EU...

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015: sustainable development duties, five ways of working, PSBs, oversight, justiciability, procurement links, and 2024–25 updates including expanded public bodies

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Practice notes

Background to the Future Generations Act

First tabled in 2012, the Bill that ultimately became the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (WFG(W) 2015) initially bore the title ‘sustainable development Bill’, a name that hinted at its wide purpose. The First Minister later rebranded it the ‘Future Generations Bill’ to signal a shift in focus that brought the social and economic strands of sustainable development to the fore. Environmental groups argued that this change of name indicated a step back from the environmental sustainability aims highlighted during the early consultations.

Welsh Government’s focus on sustainable development predates this legislation. Under section 79 of the Government of Wales Act 2006, Welsh Ministers are required to set out a scheme explaining how, in carrying out their functions, they will promote sustainable development. The Welsh Government’s scheme, ‘One Wales: One Planet’, describes the National Assembly for Wales’ approach. Launched in 2009, it defines ‘sustainable development’ in Wales as follows: sustainable development means enhancing the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of people and communities, achieving a better quality of life for our own and future generations in ways which...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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