Mental Well-Being and the Eco-State: A Classification of Regions and Countries of the European Union

Abstract

This chapter reports exploratory research work on the link between mental well-being and the ‘eco-state’ within the context of countries and regions of the European Union (EU). For the purpose of this chapter, the ‘eco-state’ is defined—paraphrasing Meadowcroft (2005: 3)—as “a state that places [climate change] considerations at the core of its activities”. It is hypothesized that regions with higher levels of mental well-being are located in eco-states with a good ecological performance. For the purpose of this work, ecological performance in the area of climate change is measured using the Climate Change Performance Index 2013, while mental well-being using the WHO-5 scale derived from the third wave of the cross-sectional European Quality of Life Survey for the year 2011. Using exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and regression analysis, regional clusters of mental well-being are identified and classified according to eco-state typologies of EU countries. While it emerges that the better a country performs in ecological terms, the better the levels of regional mental well-being are, the mechanisms of this association remain to be determined. The chapter concludes by suggesting future directions for research on mental well-being and the eco-state.