Making Well-being Indicators Count 29 th November 2007 Bangkok, Thailand Nic Marks founder of the centre for well-being new economics foundation

Who are nef? An independent UK think-tank (founded 1986) Inspired by 3 principles 1.Ecological Sustainability 2.Social Justice 3.People’s Well-being Well-being programme set up in 2001 to address question : What would policy look like if people’s well-being was its aim? Centre for well-being created in 2006 Happy Planet Index 2006 (1m downloads)

Making W-B indicators count  What do indicators actually indicate?  Measuring personal well-being  Ecological efficiency and well-being – The Happy Planet Index  Creating Local Well-being indicators  Influencing Policy Formation

What do Indicators Indicate? Ecosystem

What do Indicators Indicate? Human system Ecosystem

What do Indicators Indicate? Human system Ecosystem

What do Indicators Indicate? Human system Ecosystem Culture Social Capital Governance Economy Education Healthcare Natural Capital Biodiversity CO 2 emissions Soil erosion Water quality Air quality

What do Indicators Indicate? Human system Ecosystem Culture Social Capital Governance Economy Education Healthcare Natural Capital Biodiversity CO 2 emissions Soil erosion Water quality Air quality Resource demand

What do Indicators Indicate? Human system Ecosystem Resource demand Ecosystem well-being Human well-being Culture Social Capital Governance Economy Education Healthcare Natural Capital Biodiversity CO 2 emissions Soil erosion Water quality Air quality

Ultimate Outcome measures Human system Ecosystem well-being Human well-being Natural Capital Biodiversity CO 2 emissions Soil erosion Water quality Air quality

What do we mean by “well-being”? Subjective well-being = People’s experience of their quality of life “Feeling good AND doing well” (a 1960s definition of self-esteem) Often measured by “life satisfaction”

GDP and Life Satisfaction A Challenge to the Political Status Quo

GDP and Life Satisfaction A Challenge to the Political Status Quo

GDP and Life Satisfaction

Diminishing marginal returns of well-being to income

Year of Widowhood Micro data: Widowhood and Well-being

Micro data: Divorce and Well-being Year of Divorce

Micro data: Marriages and Well-being

Where does our happiness comes from?

Making W-B indicators count  What do indicators actually indicate?  Measuring personal well-being  Ecological efficiency and well-being – The Happy Planet Index  Creating Local Well-being indicators  Influencing Policy Formation

Ecological Efficiency & W-B UN Human Development Report on Climate Change, Nov 2007: “The world has less than a decade to change course to avoid irreversible ecological catastrophe… Developed countries should cut emissions by at least 30% by 2020 and by 80% by Developing nations should cut emissions by 20% by the year 2050.”

A Happy Planet Index

 Launched by nef in July 2006  HDI style rank order of nations  Measure of the “Ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered”  Over 1,000,000 downloads to date

What HPI measures Human system Ecosystem Resource demand Ecosystem well-being Human well-being Culture Social Capital Governance Economy Education Healthcare Natural Capital Biodiversity CO 2 emissions Soil erosion Water quality Air quality

What HPI measures Human system Resource demand Human well-being

What HPI measures Human system Resource demand Human well-being

What HPI measures Human system Resource demand Human well-being Happy and Long Lives Resource Use

What HPI measures Human system Resource demand Human well-being Happy and Long Lives Resource Use (divided by)

What HPI measures Human system Resource demand Human well-being (Life Sat) * (Life Exp) Eco Footprint (divided by)

Country comparisons Country Life Sat Life Exp Eco Foot HPI Costa Rica Bhutan Thailand UK USA

Country comparisons Country Life Sat Life Exp Eco Foot HPI Costa Rica7.5 Bhutan7.6 Thailand6.5 UK7.1 USA7.4

Country comparisons Country Life Sat Life Exp Eco Foot HPI Costa Rica Bhutan Thailand UK USA

Country comparisons Country Life Sat Life Exp Eco Foot HPI Costa Rica Bhutan Thailand UK USA

Country comparisons Country Life Sat Life Exp Eco Foot HPI Costa Rica (3 rd ) Bhutan (13 th ) Thailand (32 nd ) UK (108 th ) USA (150 th )

Ecological Efficiency & W-B Happy Planet Index is a measure of: The environmental (carbon) efficiency of effectively delivering human well-being So we need to be both  “effective” – enhancing personal and social well-being and cultivating happiness  “efficient” – using less resources

Well-being and Policy nef’s well-being manifesto: – launched Sept 2004 – covered eight areas of policy – strategy was ‘to start a debate’ – designed to be ‘contagious’ – a lot of mini manifestos out there.. Downloadable from:

A well-being manifesto 1.Measure what matters 2.Create a well-being economy 3.Reclaim our time 4.Flourishing schools 5.Complete health for the nation 6.Invest in the very early years 7.Authentic advertising (and discourage materialism) 8.Community contribution

Investing in well-being Overall population interventions  Safety nets and support systems to alleviate genuine poverty  Community-based investment to facilitate self-organization of local place-based well-being  Creating Quality employment opportunities: good jobs and good employers Investing in, working with the specific groups  Cultivation of Happiness - co-production  The HOW of policy delivery – health, education…  Seeding self-organizing systems that support and challenge people

Contact Details: Nic Marks Other reports downloadable from 1.Chasing Progress – MDP 2.Power & Potential of W-B indicators 3.Well-being Manifesto 4.Well-being and Environment 5.Spoiled Ballot – democracy and well-being 6.Happy Planet Index