Metrics like HDI and PHDI ignore environmental sustainability because they rank countries relative to one another rather than measuring ecological limits. Middle-income countries like Costa Rica and Sri Lanka illustrate that living standards can be achieved within planetary boundaries. True progress demands a society where dignity coexists with ecological justice.
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The indicators like the United Nations' HDI and PHDI ignore the environment.
The Planetary Pressures-adjusted HDI (PHDI) was introduced in 2020, it measures environmental impact by adjusting HDI scores based on carbon emissions and material footprint.
The United Nations' Human Development Index (HDI) measures progress by focusing on a holistic view of human development, encompassing life expectancy, education, and income.
These index ranks countries relatively rather than against absolute ecological limits, which create a misleading picture of sustainable development.
High-income countries like Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland top HDI rankings but are among the world's biggest per capita resource consumers and carbon polluters. If their development models were adopted globally, we would need multiple Earths to sustain our way of life.
Recent destructive wildfires in California, with economic damages estimated around $250 billion, indicates the true cost of the development models followed by wealthy nations. The event underlines how climate change, driven by unsustainable consumption patterns, creates devastating economic and environmental consequences.
Some middle-income countries indicate that decent living standards can be achieved within planetary boundaries.
It reaches high life expectancy, universal healthcare, and near-universal literacy while maintaining a resource footprint far lower than wealthy nations.
Strategic investments in renewable energy and forest conservation have aligned human development with environmental goals.
It achieved HDI of 0.78, which surpasses many South Asian nations. The success through early investments in universal healthcare and education, delivering life expectancy and literacy rates comparable to wealthier countries.
Recent economic crises and political instability exposed vulnerabilities, which shows that sustainability also requires justice within and between nations.
Metrics like HDI and PHDI overlook the need for true progress, therefore it is crucial to create a society where every citizen lives with dignity within ecological boundaries.
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