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Human Wellbeing and the Health of the Environment: Local Indicators that Balance the Scales

Author

Listed:
  • Rebecca Patrick

    (Deakin University)

  • Amy Shaw

    (Deakin University)

  • Alison Freeman

    (Sustainability Impact Consultant)

  • Claire Henderson-Wilson

    (Deakin University)

  • Justin Lawson

    (Deakin University)

  • Mia Davison

    (UN Global Compact—Cities Programme)

  • Teresa Capetola

    (Deakin University)

  • Calvin K. F. Lee

    (Deakin University)

Abstract

Human wellbeing is inextricably linked to the health of the environment. In the Anthropocene, new measures of progress are required to support high levels of human health and quality of life whilst ensuring a sustainable, healthy environment. The sustainable development goals (SDGs), New Urban Agenda, and Paris Agreement on Climate Change provide the global mandates for change; however, localised actions and indicators are required to bring this to fruition. Taking the position that human wellbeing and health of environment need to be equitable partners, it is proposed that local level composite indicators, which securely bind human health to the health of the environment, are required to support local actions to achieve the SDGs. This paper examines twelve current indices that aim to measure sustainable progress and critiques their ability to securely bond human wellbeing with the health of the environment and their potential as local level indices. Out of these indices, we propose the Happy Planet Index, a composite index developed by the New Economics Foundation, as a suitable index that achieves this goal. Using locally or regionally relevant datasets, the Happy Planet Index can be modified to mobilise conversations and drive actions towards achieving the SDGs where human wellbeing and health of the environment are conceptually linked.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca Patrick & Amy Shaw & Alison Freeman & Claire Henderson-Wilson & Justin Lawson & Mia Davison & Teresa Capetola & Calvin K. F. Lee, 2019. "Human Wellbeing and the Health of the Environment: Local Indicators that Balance the Scales," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 651-667, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:146:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-019-02140-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-019-02140-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Enjiao Chen & Yew-kwang Ng & Yu Fen Tan & Jesselyn Shi Ying Toh, 2017. "Environmentally Responsible Happy Nation Index: Refinements and 2015 Rankings," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 39-56, October.
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    4. Yew-Kwang Ng, 2008. "Environmentally Responsible Happy Nation Index: Towards an Internationally Acceptable National Success Indicator," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 85(3), pages 425-446, February.
    5. Fusco, Elisa, 2015. "Enhancing non-compensatory composite indicators: A directional proposal," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 242(2), pages 620-630.
    6. J. Haavard Maridal, 2017. "A Worldwide Measure of Societal Quality of Life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 1-38, October.
    7. Runt Veenhoven, 2002. "Why Social Policy Needs Subjective Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 33-46, June.
    8. Phillis, Yannis A. & Grigoroudis, Evangelos & Kouikoglou, Vassilis S., 2011. "Sustainability ranking and improvement of countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 542-553, January.
    9. Jennifer Clapp & Peter Dauvergne, 2005. "Paths to a Green World: The Political Economy of the Global Environment," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262532719, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael D. Briscoe & Jennifer E. Givens & Madeleine Alder, 2021. "Intersectional Indicators: A Race and Sex-Specific Analysis of the Carbon Intensity of Well-Being in the United States, 1998–2009," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 97-116, May.
    2. Bing Wang & Tianchi Chen, 2022. "Social Progress beyond GDP: A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of GDP and Twelve Alternative Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Nikolova Milena & Popova Olga, 2021. "Sometimes Your Best Just Ain’t Good Enough: The Worldwide Evidence on Subjective Well-being Efficiency," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(1), pages 83-114, January.

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