Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill

# Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill The bill seeks to embed wellbeing and sustainable development at the heart of Scottish policymaking by requiring public bodies to actively consider and advance these principles in their decision-making. It responds to growing recognition that traditional economic measures like GDP alone do not adequately capture societal progress, and that many policy decisions are made without systematic consideration of their broader impacts on people's wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The legislation aims to create a more holistic framework for governance that balances economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The bill introduces a duty on Scottish public bodies—including the Scottish Government, local authorities, and designated public bodies—to pursue sustainable development and consider wellbeing outcomes in their strategic planning and operations. It would establish a new definition of sustainable development aligned with United Nations principles and require bodies to report on how they have progressed these objectives. The bill also proposes mechanisms for scrutiny and accountability, potentially including the creation of an advisory body or strengthened parliamentary oversight. As a Member's Bill (private member's legislation), its progression would depend on parliamentary time allocation and cross-party support; the bill's current status and whether it has progressed through the legislative stages should be verified through the Scottish Parliament's official records.

AI-generated summary