Measuring Well-being & Sustainable Welfare – Why it Matters27th March 2009Measuring what matters - Dundee

Nic MarksFounder of centre for well-beingnef (the new economics foundation)

Who are nef?The New Economics Foundation• Founded 1986 when G7 summit in UK• An independent think (& do) tank• Inspired by 3 principles

1. Ecological Sustainability2. Social Justice3. People’s Well-being

• centre for well-being formed 2005• nef consulting launched 2008

Measuring what matters

What do indicators actually indicate?A framework for indicators

Measuring Well-being: National Accounts of Well-being

Sustainable Well-beingGPI - ISEW

Happy Planet Index

How to improve people’s well-being:Five ways to well-being

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

EducationHealthcar

e

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

What do Indicators Indicate?

Human system

Ecosystem

Culture

Social Capital

Governance

Economy

EducationHealthcar

e

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 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

EducationHealthcar

e

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

Ultimate Outcome measures

Human system

Ecosystem well-being

Human well-being

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

Measuring well-being

Human system

Human well-being

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

“The quality of people’s experience of their lives”

“This is a dynamic state, in which the individual is able to develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships with others, and contribute to their community.” Foresight, DIUS

National Accounts of Well-being

Overall Well-being

Personal Well-being

Social Well-being

Emotional wb Satisfying life Vitality Resilience Positive FunctioningSupportive

RelationshipsTrust &

belonginingness

Personal & Social Well-being across Europe

Denmark

Sw itz er land

Norw ay

Ireland

A us tr ia

Sw eden

FinlandNether lands

Spain

Cy prusBelgium

Germany

UK

Slov eniaFranc ePoland

Es tonia

Portugal

Hungary

Slov akia

Bulgar ia

Ukraine

4.0 4.2 4.4 4.6 4.8 5.0 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6.0

Pers onal

4.0

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5.0

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

6.0

Soc

ial

Denmark

Sw itz er land

Norw ay

Ireland

A us tr ia

Sw eden

FinlandNether lands

Spain

Cy prusBelgium

Germany

UK

Slov eniaFranc ePoland

Es tonia

Portugal

Hungary

Slov akia

Bulgar ia

Ukraine

Personal & Social Well-being across Europe

Denmark

Sw itz er land

Norw ay

Ireland

A us tr ia

Sw eden

FinlandNether lands

Spain

Cy prusBelgium

Germany

UK

Slov eniaFranc ePoland

Es tonia

Portugal

Hungary

Slov akia

Bulgar ia

Ukraine

4.0 4.2 4.4 4.6 4.8 5.0 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6.0

Pers onal

4.0

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5.0

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

6.0

Soc

ial

Denmark

Sw itz er land

Norw ay

Ireland

A us tr ia

Sw eden

FinlandNether lands

Spain

Cy prusBelgium

Germany

UK

Slov eniaFranc ePoland

Es tonia

Portugal

Hungary

Slov akia

Bulgar ia

Ukraine

Personal & Social Well-being across Europe

Denmark

Sw itz er land

Norw ay

Ireland

A us tr ia

Sw eden

FinlandNether lands

Spain

Cy prusBelgium

Germany

UK

Slov eniaFranc ePoland

Es tonia

Portugal

Hungary

Slov akia

Bulgar ia

Ukraine

4.0 4.2 4.4 4.6 4.8 5.0 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6.0

Pers onal

4.0

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5.0

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

6.0

Soc

ial

Denmark

Sw itz er land

Norw ay

Ireland

A us tr ia

Sw eden

FinlandNether lands

Spain

Cy prusBelgium

Germany

UK

Slov eniaFranc ePoland

Es tonia

Portugal

Hungary

Slov akia

Bulgar ia

Ukraine

A High Scoring Nation

Denmark

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Emotional well-being - positive feelings

Emotional well-being - absence of negative

feelings

Satisfying life

Vitality

Resilience & self-esteem

Positive functioning

Supportive relationships

Trust & belonging

A Low Scoring Nation

Ukraine

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Emotional well-being

- positive feelings

Emotional well-being

- absence of

negative feelings

Satisfying life

Vitality

Resilience & self -

esteem

Positive functioning

Supportive

relationships

Trust & belonging

Age group: under 25

3.04.05.06.07.0

Emotional well-being - positive feelings

Emotional well-being - absence of negative

feelings

Satisfying life

Vitality

Resilience & self-esteem

Positive functioning

Supportive relationships

Trust & belonging

Age group: 75 plus

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Emotional well-being - positive feelings

Emotional well-being - absence of negative

feelings

Satisfying life

Vitality

Resilience & self-esteem

Positive functioning

Supportive relationships

Trust & belongingYoung People - UK

Older People - UK

Within a Nation

Scottish Well-being

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0Emotional: +ve feelings

Emotional: absence -vefeelings

Satisfying life

Vitality

Resilience & self-esteem

Positive functioning

Supportive relationships

Trust & belonging

Mean Scotland Wales England Sweden Denmark

Measuring what matters

What do indicators actually indicate?A framework for indicators

Measuring Well-being: National Accounts of Well-being

Sustainable Well-beingGPI - ISEW

Happy Planet Index

How to improve people’s well-being:Five ways to well-being

Measuring well-being

Human system

Ecosystem

Resource

demand

Ecosystem well-being

Human well-being

Culture

Social Capital

Governance

Economy

EducationHealthcar

e

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

GPI - ISEW

Human system

Ecosystem

Resource

demand

Culture

Social Capital

Governance

Economy

EducationHealthcar

e

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

Measuring well-being

Human system

Ecosystem

Resource

demand

Ecosystem well-being

Human well-being

Culture

Social Capital

Governance

Economy

EducationHealthcar

e

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

Happy Planet Index

Human system

Resource

demand

Human well-being

Natural Capital

Biodiversity

CO2 emissions

Soil erosion

Water quality

Air quality

A Happy Planet Index

A Happy Planet Index

A Happy Planet Index

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

HPI in Europe over time

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001

% c

hang

e si

nce

1961

HLY

Footprint

Efficiency

HPI 2050: Sustainable Living

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001

% ch

ange

sinc

e 196

1

Footprint

HLY

Efficiency

2050

60 - 80% reduction in CO2 emissions

Life Expectancy 80yrsLife Satisfaction 8/10

Resource efficiency to improve by over 80%

Creating Timely Feedback Loops

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001

% ch

ange

sinc

e 196

1

Footprint

HLY

Efficiency

2050

60 - 80% reduction in CO2 emissions

Life Expectancy 80yrsLife Satisfaction 8/10

Resource efficiency to improve by over 80%

Measuring what matters

What do indicators actually indicate?A framework for indicators

Measuring Well-being: National Accounts of Well-being

Sustainable Well-beingGPI - ISEW

Happy Planet Index

How to improve people’s well-being:Five ways to well-being

Five Ways to Well-being“Develop a set of evidence based actions to

improve personal well-being”

Used Foresight’s five (draft) challenge reports:• Learning through Life• Mental Health• Well-being and Work• Learning Difficulties• Mental Capital through Life

Plus wider evidence from well-being literature

The TaskWe were asked to:

• Create Universal Appeal – eg different ages

• Target the Individual – not societal change or policy recommendation

We stressed:

• The need for variety – to overcome adaptation – not a sense of duty

Five ways to well-being

Connect…

With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

Five ways to well-being

Be active…

Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

Five ways to well-being

Take notice…

Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Five ways to well-being

Keep learning…

Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.

Five ways to well-being

Give…

Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

Four recent reports

Measuring Wellbeing in Policy; Sam Thompson, Nic Marks; Foresight & nef; Oct 08

Local Wellbeing – can we measure it? ; Nicola Steuer, Nic Marks; Young Foundation & nef; Sept 08

Five Ways to Wellbeing: the evidence; Jody Aked, Nic Marks; Foresight & nef; Oct 08

National Accounts of Well-being; Juliet Michaelson, Saamah Abdallah, Nicola Steuer, Sam Thompson and Nic Marks; nef; January 2009

Forthcoming:

Happy Planet Index; July 2009

National Accounts of Well-being

www.nationalaccountsofwellbeing.org

Other reports downloadable from

www.neweconomics.org

Nic Marks: nic.marks@neweconomics.org