‘Years of Good Life’ Is the Latest Measure of Global Warming’s Impact
A group of Austrian researchers developed a new index that calls for a change in economic thinking about climate adaptation.
A teacher giving rulers to children in Finland. The Nordic country’s education system is a prime reason it scores at the top of the “Years of Good Life (YoGL)” economic index
Photographer: OLIVIER MORIN/AFPFiguring out the “Years of Good Life” a person can look forward to on a warming planet could be key to unlocking the economic resources needed by populations to adapt to climate change.
The so-called YoGL index is the latest offering from researchers trying to balance sustainability and demands for economic growth. The assessment, which will be published next week by the U.S. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, challenges climate models that focus on monetizing the utility of individuals. It’s the newest study to suggest economists need to overhaul their metrics to meet the challenge of climate change.