<nettime> The (un)Happy Planet Index 2.0: Why good lives don’t have to cost the Earth

[Aleksi Knuutila <aleksi.knuutila@gmail.com>]

Dear Colleagues,

The (un)Happy Planet Index 2.0: Why good lives don?t have to cost the Earth

nef (the new economics foundation) is pleased to announce the release
of the Happy Planet Index, the second global ranking of the ecological
efficiency with which the world?s nations deliver long and happy lives
for the people who live there. The report reveals a surprising picture
of the relative wealth and progress of nations:

Latin America tops the Index with Costa Rica the ?greenest and
happiest? country.  Nine of the ten highest-scoring nations are Latin
American
The USA, China and India were all ?greener and happier? twenty years
ago than today
The World?s richest plummet from 1960s to late 1970s, with scores
still lower today than 1961
The UK comes 74th, USA 114th out of 143 nations surveyed.

The new Index is based on improved data for 143 countries around the
world, representing 99 per cent of the world?s population. By
stripping the economy back to its ultimate outputs (lives of varying
length and happiness) and fundamental inputs (the Earth?s finite
resources) the HPI is the definitive efficiency measure. It provides a
clear guide to what matters to us and what matters for the planet.

We hope you enjoy studying the index and would encourage you to share
this email with colleagues. We believe that the multiple crises we
face provide a unique opportunity for societies around the world to
speak out for a happier planet, to identify a new vision of progress,
and to demand new tools to help us work towards it. The HPI is one of
these tools. But if it is to be effective it must also inspire people
to act. Please join the Soil Association, Friends of the Earth, the
World Development Movement, Onehundredmonths, 38 degrees, the Gaia
Foundation and others by signing nef?s Happy Planet Charter to start
this process of change

The full report and data are available for free download at the
accompanying web-site: www.happyplanetindex.org


Yours sincerely




Nic Marks, Founder of the centre for well-being, nef
nic.marks@neweconomics.org

www.happyplanetindex.org


nef was awarded the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies'
Award for the Betterment of the Human Condition 2007, in recognition
of our work on the Happy Planet Index.

nef?(the?new economics foundation)
3 Jonathan Street,?London SE11 5NH
Registered Company No. 319 3399
Registered Charity No. 1055254
t: 020 7820 6300? ?f: 020 7820 6301


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