Track happiness levels not GDP to save the planet, say scientists
‘We are not becoming happier by consuming more and more material goods... well-being is the main goal’
TRACKING happiness could be the key to beating climate change, a group of European scientists has said.
They argue that measuring gross domestic product has led to rampant consumption and financial growth, which is destroying the planet while doing nothing to make us happier.
The report, by the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC), suggests replacing the widelyused wealth measure with “indicators of human well-being”.
Co-author Anders Wijkman, a former politician, and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said that a focus on economic growth “adds fuel to the climate and biodiversity crises”.
Current “incremental” measures are not enough to head off “dangerous” climate change and more fundamental shifts are needed, the report argues.
It also criticises political leaders for caving in to business interests in a quest to maintain growth. Instead, policymakers should recognise that current consumption levels are unsustainable if environmental damage is to be mitigated, the group said.
The call is at odds with the stance of the leaders of European countries including Britain, with ministers insisting that continued economic growth is possible alongside a phase-out of fossil fuels through investment in new industries including renewable energy.
The group said its conclusions “challenge the social and political paradigm of at least the past 70 years where leaders have campaigned on the basis of continuing improvement in the traditional economy, with science and technology expected to allow economic growth to be indefinitely sustained”.
The EASAC, which is chaired by Dr
Michael Norton, a British chemist and former civil servant, says that GDP does not track the negative side effects of some economic activities, and fails to take into account important societal factors such as health and civic activities, including volunteering and caring for friends, family and neighbours.
These shortcomings also mean the clean-up from environmentally catastrophic events like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are counted positively towards GDP.
Mr Wijkman added: “We are not becoming happier by consuming more and more and more material goods.
“The pandemic hopefully has demonstrated that consumption in itself is not the main objective or goal in life. It’s well-being that is the main goal.”
In recent years, many countries, including the UK, have begun taking a greater interest in their citizens’ happiness levels and other measures of national success, although these factors are used in a manner supplementary to GDP rather than as a replacement.