Towards sustainable provision of services supporting many years of good life: a global panel analysis 1990-2019

Achieving a good life for all within planetary boundaries is essential for sustainability. But analysing this goal is hindered by problems of definition, measurement, and the large number of potentially relevant factors. The indicator ‘years of good life’ (YoGL) is defined as the number of years a person can expect to live above absolute poverty, enjoy good physical and cognitive health, and experience positive life satisfaction 1. YoGL has been quantified 2, but how it depends on resource requirements and other potential determinants has not yet been studied. We analysed this question for ~110 countries from 1990 to 2019, revealing that the relationship between YoGL and resource use (materials, energy) and emissions follows saturation curves. YoGL/resource use ratios improve over time, which we analyse in fixed effects and between-effects panel analyses considering factors hypothesized to affect this ratio. We find that education, health expenditures, and per-capita GDP covary with YoGL, whereas ambient air pollution and income inequality are negatively related to YoGL. In panel analyses considering all factors simultaneously, resource and emission indicators lose importance and are often negatively related with YoGL. In countries with high-YoGL (upper three deciles), income becomes insignificant, while other factors remain important. Reducing income inequality and air pollution, as well as promoting education and healthcare, while minimizing the use of physical resources and emissions hence emerge as essential strategies for raising social wellbeing sustainably.