Incorporating “relative” ecological impacts into human development evaluation: Planetary Boundaries–adjusted HDI

Abstract

During the past 30 years, Human Development Index (HDI) has evolved into a widely accepted proxy of human development. Based on Strong Sustainability and Planetary Boundaries, this paper puts forward Planetary Boundaries–adjusted HDI (PB-HDI). The PB-HDI has made references to Planetary pressures–adjusted HDI proposed by the UNDP. Being simple, transparent and theoretically valid, the PB-HDI incorporates “relative” ecological impacts, i.e. ecological impacts beyond planetary boundaries, into human development evaluation. The PB-HDI is the product of adjusted HDI and Ecological Overshoot Index. The adjusted HDI employs Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth to measure medical and health levels and sets a threshold value of Gross National Income per capita; the Ecological Overshoot Index measures “relative” ecological impacts and is constructed by employing consumption-based CO2 emissions and Material Footprint. Being compatible with intragenerational and intergenerational equity, the PB-HDI advocates achieving higher levels of economic-social development within planetary boundaries. PB-HDI values and ranks of 142 countries in 2015 are different with those of the HDI by a large extent. For the PB-HDI, Costa Rica, Panama, Hungary, Sri Lanka and Argentina perform best and Singapore, Australia, the United States, India and China do not perform well. The paper provides a more scientific and reasonable perspective and index for human development evaluation in the full world and Anthropocene.