HOW TO MEASURE THE WELL-BEING OF A NATION: A NEW PROPOSAL BASED ON A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH

Roberto Daffinà

doi:10.32435/envsmoke-2024-0008

Authors

Roberto Daffinà Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale), Rome, Italy https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8851-590X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32435/envsmoke-2024-0008

Keywords:

Economic dimension, Environmental, Virtuous countries, Gross Domestic Product, Social welfare, Sustainable development, Circular economy

Abstract

Measuring the well-being of a nation means identifying all the tools that enable its individuals to live well without worsening the lives of their neighbours or those to come in the future. For many years, the focus has been solely on the economic dimension, creating critical problems in the social and environmental spheres that will take years and large investments to remedy. This article gives an overview of the measurements used over the years in the international arena by recognised and respected bodies. The application of these indicators to the realities of countries has made it possible to identify models to be followed in order to enable the growth of the well-being of societies as a whole.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Roberto Daffinà, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale), Rome, Italy

Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale), Rome, Italy

References

BLOCK, S.; EMERSON, J.W.; ESTY, D.C.; De SHERBININ, A.; WENDLING, Z.A., et al. 2024 Environmental Performance Index. New Haven: Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, 2024. Available from: http://epi.yale.edu/downloads/2024-epi-report.pdf

BUTERA, F.M. Affrontare la complessità: Per governare la transizione ecologica. Milan: Edizioni Ambiente, 2021. Available from: https://www.edizioniambiente.it/catalogo/affrontare-la-complessita. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

CARSON, C.S. The history of the United States national income and product accounts: the development of an analytical tool. Review of Income and Wealth, v. 21, n. 2, p. 153-181, 1975. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4991.1975.tb00687.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4991.1975.tb00687.x

CASTELLUCCI, L. Lezioni di economia delle risorse naturali. Bologna: Società Editrice Esculapio, 2021. Available from: https://www.editrice-esculapio.com/. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

CHELLI, F.M.; CIOMMI, M.; GIGLIARANO, C. The index of sustainable economic welfare: A comparison of two Italian regions. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, v. 81, p. 443-448, 2013. Part of the 1st World Congress of Administrative & Political Sciences (ADPOL-2012). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.457 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.457

CNEL (Consiglio Nazionale dell’Economia e del Lavoro). Indicatori per lo sviluppo sostenibile in Italia – Rapporto Finale. Rome: CNEL, 2005. Available from: https://www.mef.gov.it/export/sites/MEF/ministero/commissioni/ccba/documenti/CNELx20Rapportox20Finalex20Indicatori.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.

COHEN KAMINITZ, S. The significance of GDP: a new take on a century-old question. Journal of Economic Methodology, v. 30, n. 1, p. 1-14, 2023. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350178X.2023.2167228 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350178X.2023.2167228

COSCIEME, L.; MORTENSEN, L.F.; ANDERSON, S.; WARD, J.; DONOHUE, I.; SUTTON, P.C. Going beyond Gross Domestic Product as an indicator to bring coherence to the Sustainable Development Goals. Journal of Cleaner Production, v. 248, art. 119232, 2020. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119232 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119232

COSTANZA, R.; HART, M.; KUBISZEWSKI, I.; POSNER, S.; TALBERTH, J. Lessons from the history of GDP in the effort to create better indicators of prosperity, well-being, and happiness. In: BELL, S.; MORSE, S. Routledge Handbook of Sustainability Indicators. London: Taylor and Francis, 2018. p. 117-123. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315561103 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315561103-7

COYLE, D. GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History. Revised and expanded Edition. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016. Available from: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691169859/gdp?srsltid=AfmBOorSH-evhEekTlfnWYHEMT9BMv4jG4HLIHx7uIbZavjmcvYpyHfl. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

DEATON, A. Income, health, and well-being around the world: Evidence from the Gallup World Poll. Journal of Economic perspectives, v. 22, n. 2, p. 53-72, 2008.

Available from: https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.22.2.53 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.22.2.53

DELSIGNORE, G.; AGUILAR-LATORRE, A.; GARCIA-RUIZ, P.; OLIVÁN-BLÁZQUEZ, B. Measuring happiness for social policy evaluation: a multidimensional index of happiness. Sociological Spectrum, v. 43, n. 1, p. 16–30, 2023. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/02732173.2022.2163444 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02732173.2022.2163444

FELICI, F.; GAWRONSKI, P.G.; LAMBIASE, F.; LOIERO, R.; SOLIPACA, A. Il benessere equo e sostenibile: Aspetti teorici, empirici e istituzionali. Senato della Repubblica: Rome, Documento di Analisi n.12, Ufficio Valutazione Impatto, 2018. Available from: https://elearning.unite.it/pluginfile.php/216942/mod_resource/content/2/Il_benessere_equo_e_sostenibile_Dossier.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.

FIORAMONTI, L. Presi per il PIL: Tutta la verità sul numero più potente del mondo. Rome: L'asino d'oro edizioni, 2017. Available from: https://lasinodoroedizioni.it/catalogo/le-api/presi-per-il-pil/. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

FIORAMONTI, L. Il mondo dopo il PIL: Economia e politica nell'era della post-crescita. Milan: Edizioni Ambiente, 2019. Available from: https://www.edizioniambiente.it/catalogo/il-mondo-dopo-il-pil. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

HANDOYO, A.; ISNADI, Y. The insignificance of GDP growth rate to people’s welfare: a political economy analysis of China’s impressive GDP. Otoritas: Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan, v. 13, n. 2, p. 217-232, 2023. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26618/ojip.v13i2.10424 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26618/ojip.v13i2.10424

HECHT, J. National environmental accounting: Bridging the gap between ecology and economy. Routledge: New York, 2005.

Available from: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781936331369 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781936331369

HICKEL, J. The sustainable development index: Measuring the ecological efficiency of human development in the anthropocene. Ecological Economics, v. 167, art. 106331, 2020. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.011

ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica). Il benessere equo e sostenibile in Italia, Rapporto Bes 2021. ISTAT: Rome, 2022. Available from: https://www.istat.it/produzione-editoriale/rapporto-bes-2021-il-benessere-equo-e-sostenibile-in-italia/. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.

KARUNANITHI, K.; BUI, W.K.T.; TAN, H.C. Green gross domestic product: A bibliometric analysis. Sustainable Development, p. 1-12, 2024. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3006

KUBISZEWSKI, I.; COSTANZA, R.; FRANCO, C.; LAWN, P.; TALBERTH, J.; JACKSON, T.; AYLMER, C. Beyond GDP: Measuring and achieving global genuine progress. Ecological Economics, v. 93, p. 57-68, 2013. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.04.019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.04.019

LIBÓRIO, M. P.; MARTINUCI, O.S.; MACHADO, A.M.C.; MACHADO-COELHO, T.M.; LAUDARES, S.; BERNARDES, P. Principal component analysis applied to multidimensional social indicators longitudinal studies: limitations and possibilities. GeoJournal, v. 87, p. 1453-1468, 2022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-020-10322-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-020-10322-0

MANAGI, S.; CHEN, S.; KUMAR, P.; DASGUPTA, P. Sustainable matrix beyond GDP: investment for inclusive growth. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, v. 11, art. 185, p. 1-10, 2024. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02659-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02659-5

MOFFATT, I. Ecological footprints and sustainable development. Ecological Economics, v. 32, n. 3, p. 359-362, 2000. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(99)00154-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(99)00154-8

NORDHAUS, W.D.; TOBIN, J. Economic research: Retrospect and prospect. vol. 5, Economic growth. New York: National Bureau of Economic Research, 1972. Available from: https://www.nber.org/books-and-chapters/economic-research-retrospect-and-prospect-volume-5-economic-growth. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). OECD Guidelines on measuring subjective well-being. OECD Publishing: Paris. 2013. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264191655-en DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264191655-en

PURWANTO, H.; SISWAHADI, S. Paradigm of national income in Islamic economy. Syariati: Jurnal Studi Al-Qur'an dan Hukum, v. 7, n. 1, p. 93-102, 2021. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32699/syariati.v7i1.1851 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32699/syariati.v7i1.1851

ROCKSTRÖM, J.; WIJKMAN, A. Natura in bancarotta: Perché rispettare i confini del pianeta. Rapporto al Club di Roma. Milan: Edizioni Ambiente, 2014. Available from: https://www.wwf.it/pandanews/ambiente/club-di-roma-e-wwf-per-la-peccei-lecture-natura-in-bancarotta/. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

SAISANA, M.; PHILIPPAS, D. Sustainable Society Index (SSI): Taking societies’ pulse along social, environmental and economic issues. Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (Joint Research Centre), Publications Office of the European Union, 2012. Available from: https://doi.org/10.2788/6330

SEMIENIUK, G. Inconsistent definitions of GDP: Implications for estimates of decoupling. Ecological Economics, v. 215, art. 108000, 2024. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.108000 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.108000

STIGLITZ, J.E.; FITOUSSI, J.-P.; DURAND, M. Misurare ciò che conta: Al di lá del PIL. Turin: Giulio Einaudi Editore, 2021. Available from: https://www.einaudi.it/catalogo-libri/problemi-contemporanei/misurare-cio-che-conta-joseph-e-stiglitz-9788806249724/. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.

STIGLITZ, J.E.; MARCHIONATTI, R. Principi di macroeconomia. Turin: Bollati Boringhieri, 1995. Available from: https://www.unilibro.it/libro/stiglitz-joseph-e-marchionatti-r-cur-/principi-di-macroeconomia/9788833955506?srsltid=AfmBOoq47A-qlILEpPJpsjqB11T9ErdkY51m0ZpU54nQqNrYsKAcXUNN. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

STIGLITZ, J.E.; SEN, A.; FITOUSSI, J.-P. Report by the Commission on the measurement of economic performance and social progress. Paris: OFCE (Observatoire Français des Conjonctures Économiques), 2009. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/8131721/8131772/Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi-Commission-report.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

TØNNESSEN, M. Wasted GDP in the USA. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, v. 10, art. 681, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02210-y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02210-y

UN (United Nations). System of National Accounts 2008 - 2008 SNA. New York: United Nations Statistics Division, 2009. Available from: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/sna2008.asp. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

UN (United Nations). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. New York: World Commission on Environment and Development, 2011 (First publication in 1987). Available from: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

UN (United Nations). System of Environmental-Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting: Final Draf. New York: Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting, Statistics Division, 2021. Available from: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/52nd-session/documents/BG-3f-SEEA-EA_Final_draft-E.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.

VANDERWEELE, T.J.; TRUDEL-FITZGERALD, C.; ALLIN, P.; et al. Current recommendations on the selection of measures for well-being. Preventive Medicine, v. 133, art. 106004, 2020. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106004

WACKERNAGEL, M.; REES, W. Our ecological footprint: Reducing human impact on the Earth. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1996. Available from: https://faculty.washington.edu/stevehar/footprint.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.

WANG, B.; CHEN, T. Social progress beyond GDP: A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of GDP and twelve alternative indicators. Sustainability, v. 14, n .11, art. 6430, 2022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116430 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116430

WEAll (WELLBEING ECONOMY ALLIANCE). For an economy in service of life. Available from: https://weall.org/. Accessed on: 10 Aug. 2024.

WENDLING, Z.A.; EMERSON, J.W.; De SHERBININ, A.; ETSY, D.C., et al. Environmental Performance Index 2020. New Haven, CT: Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, 2020. Available from: https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21182.51529

WWF (World Wide Fund). Living Planet Report: Costruire una società nature-positive. 2022. Available from: https://www.wwf.it/uploads/WWF-LivingPlanetReport2022.pdf. Accessed on: 10 Jul. 2024.