Toward Sustainable Wellbeing: Advances in Contemporary Concepts

O’Mahony, Tadhg

doi:10.3389/frsus.2022.807984

Cited by 25 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 101 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Frontier literature suggests the potential to move to win-win outcomes (Rogelj, 2018). Strategically, this offers the opportunity to consider "prosperity without growth" (Jackson, 2009) and to reconceptualise development towards achievement of sustainability and wellbeing as the ultimate goals (O'Mahony, 2022). Consequently, a strategic process of economic foresight also offers a possible opportunity to align economic policymaking with sustainable development and to vision and critique plans for economic development intended to achieve it.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Time to build a new practice of foresight for national economies? Ireland, and uncertain futures in forecasts and scenarios

O’Mahony

Luukkanen

Vehmas

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The literature on economic forecasting, is showing an increase in criticism, of the inaccuracy of forecasts, with major implications for economic, and fiscal policymaking. Forecasts are subject to the systemic uncertainty of human systems, considerable event-driven uncertainty, and show biases towards optimistic growth paths. The purpose of this study is to consider approaches to improve economic foresight. Design/methodology/approach This study describes the practice of economic foresight as evolving in two separate, non-overlapping branches, short-term economic forecasting, and long-term scenario analysis of development, the latter found in studies of climate change and sustainability. The unique case of Ireland is considered, a country that has experienced both steep growth and deep troughs, with uncertainty that has confounded forecasting. The challenges facing forecasts are discussed, with brief review of the drivers of growth, and of long-term economic scenarios in the global literature. Findings Economic forecasting seeks to manage uncertainty by improving the accuracy of quantitative point forecasts, and related models. Yet, systematic forecast failures remain, and the economy defies prediction, even in the near-term. In contrast, long-term scenario analysis eschews forecasts in favour of a set of plausible or possible alternative scenarios. Using alternative scenarios is a response to the irreducible uncertainty of complex systems, with sophisticated approaches employed to integrate qualitative and quantitative insights. Research limitations/implications To support economic and fiscal policymaking, it is necessary support advancement in approaches to economic foresight, to improve handling of uncertainty and related risk. Practical implications While European Union Regulation (EC) 1466/97 mandates pursuit of improved accuracy, in short-term economic forecasts, there is now a case for implementing advanced foresight approaches, for improved analysis, and more robust decision-making. Social implications Building economic resilience and adaptability, as part of a sustainable future, requires both long-term strategic planning, and short-term policy. A 21st century policymaking process can be better supported by analysis of alternative scenarios. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the article is original in considering the application of scenario foresight approaches, in economic forecasting. The study has value in improving the baseline forecast methods, that are fundamental to contemporary economics, and in bringing the field of economics into the heart of foresight.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Time to build a new practice of foresight for national economies? Ireland, and uncertain futures in forecasts and scenarios

O’Mahony

Luukkanen

Vehmas

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Scholars are increasingly calling for the realization of sustainable wellbeing ( Isham et al, 2022b ; O'Mahony, 2022 ; Mead et al, 2023 ), sustainable fulfilment ( Isham and Jackson, 2022 ), sustainable happiness ( O’Brien, 2016 ), or sustainable hedonism ( Lelkes, 2021 ), to name just a few. At the heart of all these terms is the possibility that high levels of human wellbeing can be achieved by reducing environmental impacts and increasing care for, and connection to, other people and the environment.…”

Section: Toward a Transdisciplinary Theory Of Wellbeingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nurturing wellbeing amidst the climate crisis: on the need for a focus on wellbeing in the field of climate psychology

Isham¹,

Morgan²,

Kemp³

2023

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Awareness of climate change can prompt overwhelming emotions that threaten wellbeing such as anger, despair, and anxiety. Neoliberal views of human beings and their mental health strip the individual from their social and material context, driving personal dissatisfaction, social isolation, and ecological destruction. In this piece, we contend that advancements in scholarly research on wellbeing offer valuable insights for addressing the challenges posed by the climate crises while respecting human wellbeing. Such frameworks, which include the Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) and the GENIAL model, emphasize the interconnected nature of people, communities, and their environment. In turn, they help to lay the groundwork for the development of ‘post-growth’ societies focused on supporting outcomes such as human wellbeing, social justice, and environmental regeneration. There are a number of different actions that practitioners and even lay individuals can take to promote positive outcomes and effective responses in the face of the climate crisis. These actions, discussed in the concluding sections of the article, aim to foster wellbeing and impactful engagement with the challenges posed by climate change.

show abstract

“…Across forty years of evolution in thinking on sustainable development, the debate on the place of growth has been central [1][2][3]. While economic growth can be linked to improvements in welfare, and poverty alleviation, it is now broadly accepted that it is also a mega-driver of global climate change and ecological breakdown [4][5][6] and drives problems of equity and growing in-country inequality [7][8][9][10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards General Theory of Sustainable Development: A Sustainability Window Approach with All Possible Scenario Paths

Luukkanen,

Vehmas,

Kaivo-oja

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Across decades of contemporary discussion on sustainable development, a core debate has concerned the relationship between the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. In recent years, a debate on economic growth versus degrowth has been going on discussing whether economic growth can be sustainable in environmental terms and whether economic degrowth can be sustainable in social terms. This conceptual and theoretical article has used the Sustainability Window, or ‘SuWi’ method, to theoretically determine the sustainable window of economies, as upper and lower bounds of future change in GDP, that could be deemed in line with environmental and social sustainability. All theoretically possible scenario paths of development are considered by combining the economic, environmental, and social dimensions, with the environmental and social productivities of GDP. In moving to sustainability analysis through SuWi it is noted that only four of the logically possible scenario paths could be considered theoretically 'sustainable’, and only if adhering to strict conditions. Two of the hypothesised scenarios involve economic growth and two of economic degrowth. The approach, including calculation formulas, has many potential uses in providing analysis and support to 21st century sustainability policymaking, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

show abstract

Toward Sustainable Wellbeing: Advances in Contemporary Concepts

Cited by 25 publications

References 101 publications

Time to build a new practice of foresight for national economies? Ireland, and uncertain futures in forecasts and scenarios

Time to build a new practice of foresight for national economies? Ireland, and uncertain futures in forecasts and scenarios

Nurturing wellbeing amidst the climate crisis: on the need for a focus on wellbeing in the field of climate psychology

Towards General Theory of Sustainable Development: A Sustainability Window Approach with All Possible Scenario Paths

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About