The wellbeing of nations : a country-by-country index of quality of life and the environment / Robert Prescott-Allen ; in cooperation with International Development Research Centre ... [and others].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Prescott-Allen, Robert, 1942-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Environmental quality.

Environmental indicators.

Environmental Health--statistics & numerical data.

Environment.

Quality of Life.

Medical Subjects:

Environmental Health--statistics & numerical data.

Environment.

Quality of Life.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 342 pages : illustrations (some color), color maps ; 28 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington [D.C.] : Island Press, [2001]

Summary:

The Wellbeing of Nations combines indicators of human well-being with those of environmental stability to generate a more comprehensive picture of the state of our world. Seventy color-coded geopolitical maps vividly portray the performance of each of the 180 nations for all indexes.

Produced in collaboration with the leading international organizations involved with sustainable development, The Wellbeing of Nations is a one-of-a-kind reference for development and environmental policy professionals, as well as for students and scholars in environmental studies, international studies, and international development.

Contents:

1. The quest for wellbeing and sustainability

How far to the good life? 1

Why new indices? 2

The Wellbeing Assessment difference 2

2. Human wellbeing

Human Wellbeing Index 13

Measuring human wellbeing 13

Few nations well, many unwell 14

The equity effect 16

It's the economy, and it's not 17

How far from having nothing

or how close to having it all? 17

Health and population 20

Health 21

Population 23

Wealth 25

Household wealth 26

National wealth 31

Knowledge and culture 36

Community 41

Freedom and governance 42

Peace and order 45

Equity 49

Household equity 50

Gender equity 51

3. Ecosystem wellbeing

Ecosystem Wellbeing Index 59

Measuring ecosystem wellbeing 59

Most of the planet is poor or mediocre 61

The resource use effect 63

Biodiversity and environmental quality 64

The size of the foot

or where it's put? 65

Land 67

Land diversity 68

Land quality 72

Water 74

Air 80

Global atmosphere 81

Local air quality 84

Species and genes 86

Wild diversity 87

Domesticated diversity 91

Resource use 94

Energy and materials 95

Resource sectors 96

4. Combining human and ecosystem wellbeing

Distances to sustainability 107

Wellbeing Index 107

Wellbeing/Stress Index 109

Wellbeing performance groups 111

Human wellbeing and ecosystem stress: signs of a way forward 112

Regional reviews 115

North and Central America 116

West Indies 118

South America 120

Northern Africa 122

West Africa 124

Central and East Africa 126

Southern Africa 128

Northern Europe 130

Southern Europe 132

Eastern Europe 134

West Asia 136

Russia and Central and East Asia 138

Southern Asia 140

Pacific 142

Aiming for human and ecosystem wellbeing 144

Commitment to human and ecosystem wellbeing 144

Regular wellbeing assessments 144

Information and communication on human and ecosystem wellbeing 145

Sustainable wealth 146

Wellbeing areas (Slow Zones) 147

Wellbeing alliances and partnerships 147

Table 1. Human Wellbeing Index 150

Table 2. Health and population 154

Table 3. Wealth index; household wealth 158

Table 4. National wealth 162

Table 5. Knowledge 166

Table 6. Community index; freedom and governance; peace 170

Table 7. Crime 174

Table 8. Equity 177

Table 9. Ecosystem Wellbeing Index 181

Table 10. Land index; basic data; native forest change 185

Table 11. Natural, modified, cultivated, and built land 189

Table 12. Land protection 194

Table 13. Land quality 198

Table 14. Water index; river conversion; water withdrawal 202

Table 15. Inland water quality: score, oxygen balance, nutrients, and acidification 206

Table 16. Inland water quality: suspended solids, microbial pollution, and arsenic and heavy metals 218

Table 17. Air index; global atmosphere 225

Table 18. Local air quality 229

Table 19. Species and genes index; wild species rank; wild plant species 235

Table 20. Wild animal species; domesticated diversity 239

Table 21. Domesticated diversity (continued) 243

Table 22. Resource use index; energy; timber 247

Table 23. Agriculture; fish and seafood self-reliance 251

Table 24. Fisheries 255

Table 25. Wellbeing Index and Wellbeing/Stress Index 259

Table 26. Wellbeing performance groups 263

Table 27. Countries ranked by Wellbeing Index 267

Appendix A. Monetary and physical accounts 269

Counting money: the System of National Accounts 269

Wrong number: Gross Domestic Product 270

Better bookkeeping: "greening" the national accounts 271

Heavy lifting: physical accounts 274

Appendix B. Wellbeing Assessment 277

Scope and origins of Wellbeing Assessment 277

Framework: equal treatment of people and ecosystem 277

Six-stage cycle 279

Stage 1. Define the system and goals 279

Stage 2. Identify elements and objectives 280

Stage 3. Choose indicators and performance criteria 280

Stage 4. Measure and map indicators 284

Stage 5. Combine indicators and map indices 287

Stage 6. Review results and propose policies 289

Supplement 1. Bellagio principles for assessing sustainable development 289

Supplement 2. Background of the dimensions 290

Supplement 3. Assessment frameworks 291

Supplement 4. Common units for combining indicators 292

Supplement 5. Performance scales 292

Appendix C. Performance criteria chosen for The Wellbeing of Nations 297

Appendix D. Summary of combining procedures used in The Wellbeing of Nations 307

Appendix E. Map Maker Pro 313

Appendix F. Initial classification of interior, coastal, and ocean basins 315.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 325-334) and index.

ISBN:

1559638303

1559638311

OCLC:

47766972