Researchers have found positive economic growth does not equal a happy population.

A study undertaken at The Australian National University (ANU) led by Dr Ida Kubiszewski has found over the last three decades global societies have grown richer, but not happier.

“Although the global economy has tripled since 1950, global human well-being, as estimated by the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), has been flat or decreasing since around 1978,” said Dr Kubiszewski, “interestingly, 1978 is also around the time that the human ecological footprint exceeded the Earth’s capacity to support life on it. Other global indicators, such as life satisfaction, also began to level off around this time.”

The study found a link between the depletion of natural capital (decreased quality of air and water in many countries, climate disruption, deforestation, acidification of oceans) and diminished social capital.

Dr Kubiszewsk says the study shows the disconnect between our measurements of ‘success’, generally meaning economically, and the actual feelings and wellbeing of the population.