In an effort to uncover the nations that achieve happy lives for their citizens without over-burdening the planet’s resources, Happy Planet chose to measure well-being in terms of long, happy and meaningful lives and what matters to the planet as it relates to our rate of resource consumption. The Index is clear that it “doesn’t reveal the ‘happiest’ country in the world. Rather, it focuses on “the relative efficiency with which nations convert the planet’s natural resources into long and happy lives for their citizens”. Examining life expectancy, life satisfaction and carbon footprint, the Happy Planet Index found Costa Rica, Dominian Republic, and Jamaica held the top three positions on the list.
The report claims that reported high levels of life satisfaction, and “happy life years", helped put Costa Rica at the top of the list. Costa Rica, which is a haven of democracy and peace in turbulent Central America, has taken deliberate steps to reduce its environmental impact. In addition, it has the fifth lowest human poverty index in the developing world.
The report also states that while “the Dominican Republic’s condition is similar to many other countries in the region – a medium score in the Human Development Index, dependence on the USA for trade, relatively high life expectancy given its income levels and, high levels of inequality – unlike many of its neighbors, it manages to achieve a life expectancy of over 70 years with a very small footprint”.
Jamaica presents somewhat of a paradox in that given its economic troubles, high levels of inequality, unemployment and homicide rates, amazingly it has some of the best levels of health among developing countries, a high average life expectancy and a very small ecological footprint. Access to drinkable water - unusual in a country with a GDP per capita one-tenth of that of the United States, the fact that 97% of babies are born with the assistance of skilled health professionals and only 4% are underweight, and the ability to ensure that few people fall in the most extreme poverty bracket (the proportion of people living on under $1.00 US per day is less than in richer countries, such as Costa Rica, Argentina or Turkey) also helped push Jamaica up the list.
Interestingly, but probably not surprisingly, rich developed nations fared poorly. The Netherlands was the highest placed Western nation at number 43. The United Kingdom placed 74, well behind Germany, Italy and France, but ahead of Japan and Ireland. The USA ranked number 114 out of the 143 countries surveyed.
The report also outlines a “Happy Planet Charter”, which calls for an unprecedented collective and global effort to develop a new concept of human progress, encourages an increase in quality of life that doesn’t impact negatively on the earth and a reduction in consumption in the highest-consuming nations.
Happy Planet Index Top Ten Nations
1. Costa Rica
2. Dominian Republic
3. Jamaica
4. Guetamala
5. Vietnam
6. Colombia
7. Cuba
8. El Salvador
9. Brazil
10. Honduras
Go to the Happy Planet Index for more information and to get the report.
The report claims that reported high levels of life satisfaction, and “happy life years", helped put Costa Rica at the top of the list. Costa Rica, which is a haven of democracy and peace in turbulent Central America, has taken deliberate steps to reduce its environmental impact. In addition, it has the fifth lowest human poverty index in the developing world.
The report also states that while “the Dominican Republic’s condition is similar to many other countries in the region – a medium score in the Human Development Index, dependence on the USA for trade, relatively high life expectancy given its income levels and, high levels of inequality – unlike many of its neighbors, it manages to achieve a life expectancy of over 70 years with a very small footprint”.
Jamaica presents somewhat of a paradox in that given its economic troubles, high levels of inequality, unemployment and homicide rates, amazingly it has some of the best levels of health among developing countries, a high average life expectancy and a very small ecological footprint. Access to drinkable water - unusual in a country with a GDP per capita one-tenth of that of the United States, the fact that 97% of babies are born with the assistance of skilled health professionals and only 4% are underweight, and the ability to ensure that few people fall in the most extreme poverty bracket (the proportion of people living on under $1.00 US per day is less than in richer countries, such as Costa Rica, Argentina or Turkey) also helped push Jamaica up the list.
Interestingly, but probably not surprisingly, rich developed nations fared poorly. The Netherlands was the highest placed Western nation at number 43. The United Kingdom placed 74, well behind Germany, Italy and France, but ahead of Japan and Ireland. The USA ranked number 114 out of the 143 countries surveyed.
The report also outlines a “Happy Planet Charter”, which calls for an unprecedented collective and global effort to develop a new concept of human progress, encourages an increase in quality of life that doesn’t impact negatively on the earth and a reduction in consumption in the highest-consuming nations.
Happy Planet Index Top Ten Nations
1. Costa Rica
2. Dominian Republic
3. Jamaica
4. Guetamala
5. Vietnam
6. Colombia
7. Cuba
8. El Salvador
9. Brazil
10. Honduras
Go to the Happy Planet Index for more information and to get the report.
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