United Kingdom

The UK performs relatively strongly on wellbeing and life expectancy. But like other advanced economies, it is denied a place in the top 10 on its overall HPI score due to its high and unsustainable ecological footprint – 3.95 global hectares per capita. For reference, a sustainable footprint would be 1.56 global hectares per capita. If all countries matched the UK’s resource use, we would need almost 3 planets to maintain our consumption levels.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP in the UK Parliament 

“The Happy Planet shows the UK is making progress in reducing its impact on the environment. But to create ‘sustainable wellbeing’ – wellbeing for all people today, and in the future, we must go further and faster with our action to tackle climate change – and invest only in those areas that will improve all of our lives. That means better quality, affordable and secure housing, our NHS, schools, and a fair and resilient local economy that puts people and local jobs first.”