Abstract
International institutions, national governments and communities are promoting and measuring happiness in various ways. However, as of the writing of this article, there is not an agreed upon happiness index that institutions, governments, and communities use to gather and compare data. On the other hand, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have a set of indicators commonly shared by institutions, governments, and communities, do not explicitly consider happiness even though SDG Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being references well-being. In this article, we construct an Aggregated Happiness Index (AHI) based on five indices in use and applied at different governance levels. Based on common domains and indicators from these indices, the AHI is composed of twelve domains, thirty-one indicators and distinguishes between objective and subjective indicators. The AHI domains and indicators are benchmarked against the SDGs goals and indicators respectively using a grading schema based on a traffic light. Our analysis reveals that at the domain level the SDGs cover 66.7% of the AHI, however the coverage at indicator level drops to 48.6%. The SDGs indicators cover 61.1% of the AHI objective indicators and 17.9% of the AHI subjective indicators. Major gaps are found in the domains of community & social support, subjective well-being and time balance. We found a lack of subjective metrics in other domains, including economic standard of living and health. We discuss the opportunities and drawbacks of approaching SDGs and happiness metrics separately or synergistically. Given the potential benefits of integrating both approaches, we propose the framework we term SDGs for Happiness composed of 18 indicators of which 61.1% are subjective that should be considered in addition to the SDG indicators to measure happiness within the SDGs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler, A., Boniwell, I., Gibson, E., Metz, T., Seligman, M., Uchida, Y., et al. (2017). Chapter 2: definitions of terms. Happiness: transforming the development landscape. Thimphu, Bhutan: The Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH. Retrieved from http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/OccasionalPublications/Transforming%20Happiness/Happiness-transform_Final_with-cover.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Boniwell, I. (2017). Chapter 1: introduction. Happiness: transforming the development Landscape. Thimphu, Bhutan: The Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH. Retrieved from http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/OccasionalPublications/Transforming%20Happiness/Happiness-transform_Final_with-cover.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Brettonwoods Project. (2005). What are the Bretton Woods institutions? Retrieved from https://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2005/08/art-320747/. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH (2018). 2015 GNH survey reports. Retrieved from https://www.grossnationalhappiness.com. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH Research (2016). A compass towards a just and harmonious society. Thimphu, Bhutan: The Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH Retrieved from https://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/a-compass-towards-a-just-and-harmonious-society-2015-gnh-survey-report/. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Diener, E., & Pavot, W. (1993). The affective and cognitive context of self-reported measures of subjective well-being. Social Indicators Research, 28(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01086714.
Diener, E., & Suh, E. (1997). Measuring quality of life: Economic, social, and subjective indicators. Social Indicators Research, 40(1–2), 189–216. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006859511756.
Diener, E., Lucas, R., Schimmack, U., & Helliwell, J. (2009). Well-being for public policy. New York: Oxford University Press.
Diener, E., Heintzelman, S. J., Kushlev, K., Tay, L., Wirtz, D., Lutes, L. D., & Oishi, S. (2017). Findings all psychologists should know from the new science on subjective well-being. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 58(2), 87–104. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000063.
Durand, M., Balestra, C., Exton, C., Marguerit, D., Mira d’Ercole, M., Monje-Jelfs, J., et al. (2018). Countries’ experiences with well-being and happiness metrics. Chapter 8 Global Happiness council (Eds.) Global Happiness Policy Report. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
European Union Eurostat. (n.d.). Quality of life. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/infographs/qol/index_en.html. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Frey, B., & Luechinger, S. (2007). Concepts of happiness and their measurement. Hessen: Metropolis Verlag.
Global Happiness Council. (2018). Global happiness policy report. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Helliwell, J., Huang, H., Wang, S., & Shiplett, H. (2018). International migration and world happiness. In J. Helliwell, R. Layard, & J. Sachs (Eds.), World happiness report 2018. New York: United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Musikanski, L. (2014). Happiness in public policy. Journal of Social Change, 6, 55–85. https://doi.org/10.5590/JOSC.2014.06.1.0.
Musikanski, L. (2018). Why a Muslim nation may save the world or the rising middle power of happiness. The Solutions Journal, 9(3) Retrieved from https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/muslim-nation-may-save-world-rising-middle-power-happiness/. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Musikanski, L., & Polley, C. (2016). Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness: Measuring what matters. Journal of Social Change, 7, 48–72. https://doi.org/10.5590/JOSC.2016.08.1.05.
Musikanski, L., Polley, C., Cloutier, S., Berejnoi, E., & Colbert, E. (2017). Happiness in communities: How neighborhoods, cities and states use subjective well-being metrics. Journal for Social Change, 9(1), 32–54. https://doi.org/10.5590/JOSC.2017.09.1.03.
Nunes, A., Lee, K., & O’Riordan, T. (2016). The importance of an integrating framework for achieving the sustainable development goals: The example of health and well-being. BMJ Global Health, 1(3), e000068. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000068.
O’Donnell, G., Deaton, A., Durand, A., Halpern, D., & Layard, R. (2014). Well-being and policy. London, UK: Legatum Institute. Retrieved from https://li.com/docs/default-source/commission-on-wellbeing-and-policy/commission-on-wellbeing-andpolicy-report---march-2014-pdf.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2013). OECD guidelines on measuring subjective well-being. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2017a). Measuring distance to the SDG targets. Paris: OECD Publishing Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/sdd/OECD-Measuring-Distance-to-SDG-Targets.pdf. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2017b). How’s life? (p. 2017). Paris: OECD Publishing.
Stiglitz, J., Sen, A., & Fitoussi, J. (2009). Report by the commission on the measurement of economic performance and social progress. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/118025/118123/Fitoussi+Commission+report. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (2015). A global initiative for the United Nations. Framework for the Sustainable Development Goals: landing a data revolution for the SDGs. Report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by the Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Network, June 12 th, 2015; Annex 1: Beyond GDP – new measures for development; Well-being a cross-cutting issue: 69.
Uchida, Y., & Oishi, S. (2016). The happiness of individuals and the collective. Japanese Psychological Research, 58(1), 125–141. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpr.12103.
Unanue, W. (2017). Subjective well-being measures to inform public policies. Transforming the Development Landscape Thimpu, Bhutan: The Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH Happiness:
United Kingdom Office for National Statistics. (2018), Measures of national well-being dashboard. Retrieved from https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/measuresofnationalwellbeingdashboard/2018-04-25. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
United Nations General Assembly (2011). Happiness: Towards a holistic approach to development (Resolution 65/309). 64th session: 109th plenary meeting. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/65/309. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
United Nations General Assembly (2015). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. 70/1. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A/RES/70/1. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
United Nations Statistics Division. (2017). SDG indicators. Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Ura, K., Alkire, S., Zangmo, T., & Wangdi, K. (2012). A short guide to gross national happiness index. Thimpu: Center for Bhutan Studies.
Whitby, A., Seaford, C., Berry, C., & BRAINPOoL Consortium Partners. (2014). BRAINPOoL Project final report: Beyond GDP: From measurement to politics and policy. BRAINPOoL Deliverable 5.2, A collaborative programme funded by the European Union’s Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement No. 283024. World Future Council.
World Government Summit. (2018). Discovering Indonesia’s happiness pyramid – H.E. Bambang Brodjonegoro. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trCG6UViYq4. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
World Happiness Report. (2018). World Happiness Report 2018 http://worldhappiness.report/.
World Health Organization. (2018). Suicide. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide. Accessed 1 Jan 2019
Funding
This study was an effort of El Buen Vivir and Happiness Alliance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Iriarte, L., Musikanski, L. Bridging the Gap between the Sustainable Development Goals and Happiness Metrics. Int. Journal of Com. WB 1, 115–135 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-018-0012-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-018-0012-2