Sign up to the happy planet charter
The future is not the result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created – created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.
John Scharr
In order to create a happy planet, it is important to have some clear goals to work towards. The Happy Planet Charter provides clear targets for all nations, to help achieve sustainable well-being.
The logos of organisations which have already signed up to support the charter are shown on the home page.
People who sign the charter believe that:
- A new narrative of progress is required for the twenty-first century.
- It is possible to have a good life without costing the Earth.
- Over-consumption in rich countries represents one of the key barriers to sustainable well-being worldwide and that governments should strive to identify economic models that do not rely on constantly growing consumption to achieve stability and prosperity.
They call for:
- Governments to measure people’s well-being and environmental impact in a consistent and regular way, and to develop a framework of national accounts that considers the interaction between the two so as to guide us towards sustainable well-being.
- Developed nations to set an HPI target of 89 by 2050 – this means reducing per capita footprint to 1.7 gha, increasing mean life satisfaction to eight (on a scale of 0 to 10) and continuing to increase mean life expectancy to reach 87 years.
- Developed nations and the international community to support developing nations in achieving the same target by 2070.
Sign up to support the charter here
If you are an individual or an organisation who supports these principles and goals, add your name and email address here, and tick ‘Sign me / my organisation up...’ to sign up to the Charter. If you are signing up as an organisation please click on the following link to email us your logo: well-being@neweconomics.org.
