Wellbeing and Sustainability: A Relational Approach

Abstract

AbstractSustainable development has been a political catchphrase for almost 30 years. However, a genuine transition towards sustainability has not yet begun. The prevailing values have remained intact, with polarization towards economic aspects of sustainability. The dominant weak interpretation of sustainable development is based on a human exemptionalism paradigm that does not fully recognize the interconnectedness of human wellbeing and the vitality of ecosystems. Moreover, the ultimate goal of sustainable development, i.e. wellbeing, has been understood narrowly, and mainly in economic terms. To increase the chances of a transition to sustainability, it is necessary to enrich the understanding of wellbeing on the basis of a relational paradigm, in which the dependency of human wellbeing on the health of the ecosystems is internalized. To this end, we present a relational, multidimensional and needs‐based conceptualization of wellbeing, arguing that this approach holds significant promise for both sustainability and wellbeing research and policies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment