Happy Costa Ricans shame polluting Europeans

The London based think-tank New Economics Foundation’s (nef) second Happy Planet Index (HPI) classification was launched last July.  Presenting itself as an alternative way of looking at countries’ “wealth” in the world, seeking to somewhat replace, or at least challenge, the traditional GDP, which is so often correlated with a country’s standard of living.

Doing this is a mistake, according to Saamah Abdallah, head of research for the HPI at nef, “high well-being, how people feel and health is the universal aim for everyone,” he says.  Add to this “the impact societies are having on the planet,” and the result is an HPI score. 

Results are surprising.  Whereas the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Quality of Life Index back in 2005, showed a relatively predictable list of countries at the top.  Ireland came first, followed by Switzerland, Norway, Luxembourg and Sweden.   In this case, Costa Rica is in top position, with the Dominican Republic and Jamaica closely behind.  In fact, of the top ten countries, only one – Vietnam – is not Latin American.

The European high-scoring Quality of Life Index counterparts are nowhere to be found in the top 50 of the HPI.  The first on the list is Switzerland coming in 52 position, whereas the last is Luxembourg at number 122.  Luxembourg is actually described in the HPI 2009 report as having a per capita footprint equivalent to consuming natural resources as if we had five planets to rely on.  Most people would probably agree that this is not good.  Saamah Abdallah answers Vita Europe’s questions.

 

Why do you think that the Happy Planet Index is better in evaluating countries compared to GDP or quality of life index?

What we tried to do with Happy Planet Index is identify what the real and objective aims we have as individuals in society.  We found that high well being, how people feel and health is the universal aim for everyone.  But we also recognised that we are limited as to the resources on our planet in terms of natural resources and what we can emit, in terms of pollution.  So we felt that any measure of progress of how societies are doing needed to take note of these two things. 

 

The name you have given to the index comes across as quite playful, was that intentional?  Have you noticed people being more receptive to it as a result?

I must admit when I started working on this three years ago, I thought to myself “My God what a silly name.” 

I think that the name does have that element of playfulness, of not taking itself too seriously which in a way has drawn people in.  This has been a huge advantage in a way because it means that people have sat up and taken notice.  As an NGO, we are interested in seeing change in the world so we like to also focus on society.  I like to think a normal person might read about it and be pushed to think about what is important to him or her and what is important within society.  

 

So you will stick with it?

Yes.  It is meant to attract interest, our goal isn’t to have politicians sit up and say we are going to do this next week.  We do other research at nef which is much more aimed at policy makers.

 

In the online HPI test, there are questions asked related to civic engagement, and how often the responder engages in community activities/volunteering.  Is there an overall consensus that these activities bring on greater happiness?

Yes, there is very clear evidence that these things are correlated. Countries where there is more social capital in terms of greater civic engagement with community activities are happier.  A recent research suggests that in the USA, where life satisfaction is not increasing, this is due to the fall in social capital such as spending time with families as well as participating in community activities.  The biggest single factor that determines people’s well-being is to do with their social links. 

 

What is Costa Rica, which is in top position, doing right that we, in Europe, are not?

In simple terms, the first, unintentional, factor is that it isn’t as rich as us Europeans, which means that it very simply can’t spend or consume as much as us.  Then there is the fact that it has a strong social structure, which ensures that life expectancy is higher there than it is in the USA.  So it is by no means a poor country either, with a strong welfare system and universal health care.  Indeed, it appears that the social network and the government support is enough to ensure that they still are healthy and happy, despite people living on below the two dollar a day line. 

And then there is the environmental side.  99% of Costa Rica’s energy comes from renewable energy sources.  This is something that Britain hasn’t even dreamt about.  It is also planning on going carbon neutral by 2020. 

 

Why do you think Costa Rica has been so much more receptive to the environmental call compared to other countries?

I guess because its economy relies quite heavily on tourism, it is in its interest to preserve its natural resources effectively.  So it’s not entirely self-interested.  I think it has been internalised into their way of thinking. 

 

Costa Rica‘s success beyond the environmental, is as you said, tied to non material aspirations combined with social relations.   Have we in the West lost all contact with our peers, and become a selfish, depressed and gadget-obsessed society?

What I think is interesting to look at, is not the fact that we’re less satisfied than Costa Rica, but it’s the fact that we’re not much more compared to what we consume.  At the heart of this is a society that has too much to do with consumerism.  Not only in terms of what people want but in terms of where society places us.  Our status is largely determined by what we have, by what we drive, etc.  We are very often no longer referred to as citizens but merely as consumers. 

The threshold hypothesis could be a pointer to why we are not happier.  Very broadly, using this theory explains that material wealth can only buy you so much happiness, beyond which you stall.  There are many old and well-known sayings like “money can’t buy happiness”, which show that people understand the general concept, we just need to sit up and think about it again.  I hope the Happy Planet Index will help.

 

www.happyplanetindex.org