Source: http://movingimages.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/from-footprints-to-handprints-treading-lightly- on-earth/The happy planet index (HPI) is a method used to measure a countries ability to support a good life for its citizens while respecting the limits of its environmental resources on which all our lives depend on; thus the HPI is a measure of a country’s sustainability. The HPI is calculated through a country’s average years of blissful life, per unit of planetary resources consumed. Three indicators are used to calculate the HPI, ecological footprint, life-satisfaction and life expectancy. These indicators represent the efficiency in which a country converts the earth’s resources into welfare for its citizens.
HPI = (Life Satisfaction x Life Expectancy) / Ecological Footprint
The HPI is measure on a scale of 0 to 100 with 100 being the most desirable. Currently the highest HPI score is only 68.2 by the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. No country has achieve an overall high score in all of the three indicators used to calculated the HPI; thus there is room for improvement in all countries ability to support a good life for its citizens while respecting the limits of its environmental resources. Some countries have scored similar scores on the HPI but have different scores when comparing the three indicators, so even though there overall score is the same it does not mean the two countries indicators are homogonous. The HPI is not a method to determine the best country to live in or the happiest country; it is a method of comparing countries progress in providing its citizens with good life while respecting the limits if it’s environmental resources.
The HPI is measure on a scale of 0 to 100 with 100 being the most desirable. Currently the highest HPI score is only 68.2 by the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. No country has achieve an overall high score in all of the three indicators used to calculated the HPI; thus there is room for improvement in all countries ability to support a good life for its citizens while respecting the limits of its environmental resources. Some countries have scored similar scores on the HPI but have different scores when comparing the three indicators, so even though there overall score is the same it does not mean the two countries indicators are homogonous. The HPI is not a method to determine the best country to live in or the happiest country; it is a method of comparing countries progress in providing its citizens with good life while respecting the limits if it’s environmental resources.
Source: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htmThis is a map of the world coloured according to the HPI. As you can see none of the countries are doing well in all three indicator areas and there is still a large area for improvmnet.
I think the HPI is an excellent indicator of a countries sustainable growth and development. The progress of a countries development is often measured in terms of gross domestic produce (GDP). GDP is not a good indicator of a countries well being as it does not take into account the sustainability of the practices producing the GDP that is factored into the HPI (ecological footprint). If the GDP is being produced by an environmental resource which is being used faster than it can be replenished it is not a sustainable practice and will eventually lead to disastrous effects. The GDP also does not take into account the quality of life for the citizens living in the country that the HPI takes into account (life satisfaction and life expectancy). For example GDP does not take into account countries which have large proportions of poor citizens; the country with the large percentage of poor citizens may be a large exporter and have the same GDP of a country which has a very small percentage of poor citizens and a strong domestic economy. The HPI is going to be lower in the exporting country as quality of life is not as fairly distributed as in the strong domestic economy. Overall the progress of a countries growth and development cannot be determined according to its GDP. The HPI is a much more appropriate tool to measure a countries growth and development focusing on sustainability which in turn improves quality of life for all of us.
I think the HPI is an excellent indicator of a countries sustainable growth and development. The progress of a countries development is often measured in terms of gross domestic produce (GDP). GDP is not a good indicator of a countries well being as it does not take into account the sustainability of the practices producing the GDP that is factored into the HPI (ecological footprint). If the GDP is being produced by an environmental resource which is being used faster than it can be replenished it is not a sustainable practice and will eventually lead to disastrous effects. The GDP also does not take into account the quality of life for the citizens living in the country that the HPI takes into account (life satisfaction and life expectancy). For example GDP does not take into account countries which have large proportions of poor citizens; the country with the large percentage of poor citizens may be a large exporter and have the same GDP of a country which has a very small percentage of poor citizens and a strong domestic economy. The HPI is going to be lower in the exporting country as quality of life is not as fairly distributed as in the strong domestic economy. Overall the progress of a countries growth and development cannot be determined according to its GDP. The HPI is a much more appropriate tool to measure a countries growth and development focusing on sustainability which in turn improves quality of life for all of us.
For more information visit the Happly Planet Index Website at: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment