Subjective Wellbeing and Sustainable Development

Although sustainable development was recognised as a process for change over 30 years ago, achieving sustainability still remains a challenge.  Many sustainability initiatives remain within existing systems and practices dominated by an economic growth worldview. This Special Issue focuses on the potential for a new worldview – subjective wellbeing – as a means of creating a different process for sustainable change. It will not only consider the extent to which sustainability initiatives contribute to subjective wellbeing, but more importantly, the potential for subjective wellbeing to provide a new narrative for sustainability and the role of individual and collective subjective wellbeing as a precursor to achieving the changes needed. This Special Issue will be situated within a growing field of literature that challenges the dominance of existing systems and processes, as well as human-centric, individualised conceptualisations of wellbeing to bring about sustainability through whole systems transformative change.  

Dear Colleagues,

Over 30 years ago the Brundtland report (WCED 1987) established the concept of sustainable development as a process of change, whilst recognising wellbeing as the ultimate goal of all environment and development. But even with the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, the need for fundamental change in the name of sustainability is still a challenge. 

Arguably the reason why sustainability still presents a global challenge is that it remains within existing systems and practices, (Reyes, 2016).  This is dominated by an economic world view of wellbeing whereby economic growth is the only solution. This approach is reflected in the SDGs, which focus on human wellbeing in its objective capacity (income, health, education, inequalities) and the tangible circumstances and structures in society that contribute to wellbeing. Less attention has been given to subjective wellbeing (swb). Its inclusion in the SDGs is via a single measure - Cantril’s ladder, which determines the extent to which people feel they are living the best or worst possible life. 

The measure of swb used in the SDGs falls under a hedonic view of wellbeing, whereby wellbeing is achieved through maximising pleasure or happiness, and minimising pain or negative experiences (Deiner et al, 1985). The hedonic approach is appealing in that it measures subjective experience directly, rather than inferring wellbeing through a proxy measure of objective circumstances. Measures of how people feel are also based on a person’s own judgement and not some normative criteria determined by professionals (Deiner et al, 1985). The pursuit of happiness however has its limitations, not the least of which is that we adapt to our circumstances. Whilst this means that any gain in happiness may be short-lived as people become accustomised to a new set of circumstances (Brickman and Campbell, 1971), it can equally mean that people suffering quite extreme problems can also adapt and regain a sense of happiness (Graham, 2010).  Feelings of happiness may also arise in perpetrators of socially undesirable activities or unjust lives (Ryff and Keyes, 1995; Becker, 1992).  This is problematic in achieving sustainability, where changes in behaviour or resource distribution to address poverty and inequality will inevitably mean that for some their source of happiness may be challenged or reduced. 

An alternative approach is eudemonic wellbeing.  Eudemonic approaches draw from ancient Asian and Greek philosophy whereby true happiness is found through virtue – doing what is worth doing.  Virtues provide a moral code that enable us all to live well – not just that we do the right thing by others, but that we also flourish as individuals (Baginni 2019).  From this perspective, swb is about being challenged and exerting deliberate effort to reach our full-potential. The eudemonic concept also presents challenges in that it is an umbrella term for many aspects of swb each with their own measurement tool (eg., the Authentic Happiness Questionnaire Centre). However, in contrast to hedonic approaches, which imply avoiding or being away from problems, a eudemonic approach is about coping, overcoming challenges or obstacles in life.  This is important for sustainability where many people are coping (or not) in the face of extremely challenging circumstances, and others need to challenge their existing beliefs of what is a virtuous life. 

This also includes moving beyond the human-centred, individualised, conceptualisation of swb that hedonic and eudemonic approaches can represent. Greater consideration needs to be given to relational wellbeing; to the human-human and human-environment interdependencies from which subjective wellbeing derives and on which it depends (Helne and Hirvilammi, 2015). Relational wellbeing is important for ensuring that society, economy, and the environment co-exist on an equal basis and that we take collective responsibility and do right by all peoples and the planet.        

Another problem to achieving sustainability is the focus on swb as an outcome measure – the response or reaction to a change in circumstances. This ignores the importance of swb for determining people’s capacity and motivation for enabling change. Whilst objective social, political and economic circumstances present substantial barriers to change, and these are recognised as the core element of SDGs, consideration also needs to be given to the extent that self-esteem and confidence have the potential to contribute to the fundamental changes needed to achieve sustainability.

There is greater recognition that sustainability cannot be ‘business as usual but greener.’ It requires transformational systems changes (Fazey et al 2018; Gabel, 2015; Kelman et al 2015).  This requires questioning existing political and economic systems at the global level, but also questioning our own beliefs and behaviours at the individual level (Searle, forthcoming).  Low swb can be debilitating, through feelings of helplessness, denial, or focus on the negatives – what can go wrong (Carter, 2011; Lombardo, 2012).  High swb can be empowering, through a sense of hope, motivation and a focus on the positives – what can go right (Lombardo, 2012). In reality the distinction is more complex – positive emotions can lead to lethargy, not wanting to upset the system; negative experiences can instil the motivation to question the status quo and make change (Davis, 2009; Rimanoczy, 2014).  For sustainability, it is likely we will need to find a balance between positive and negative emotions to challenge ourselves, the systems we live by, and find the innovative solutions to achieve human and planetary wellbeing.

This Special Issue calls for papers which will explore the importance of swb in the context of sustainability. Contributions will be informed by questions around the contribution of sustainability for swb as well as the potential for swb to achieve sustainability.  Topics include, but are not limited to how we can conceptualise and measure swb to inform sustainability; the importance of enhancing swb to achieve sustainability and the extent to which sustainability initiatives can achieve this; the potential for swb to provide a new narrative for sustainability; or the role of individual and collective swb in achieving the changes needed for sustainability.

Dr. Beverley Searle
Guest Editor

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• Subjective wellbeing
• Sustainability
• Transformative change
• Sustainable development goals
• Relational wellbeing
• Human-environment interdependencies