MYP Individuals & Societies Human Wellbeing Notes

How Does Human Wellbeing Link To Sustainability Over Time?

1. Sustainability is commonly studied through three pillars: social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
2. Human wellbeing depends on all three because people need:
   1. Functioning societies
   2. Stable livelihoods, and
   3. A liveable planet.

Environmental sustainability protects the life support systems for wellbeing

1. Environmental sustainability focuses on improving living standards without long term environmental damage that would harm future generations.
2. It's closely tied to wellbeing because clean air, safe water, and a stable climate are foundations for health and security.

Economic sustainability enables long-term improvement without exclusion

1. Economic sustainability is about risk management.
2. This matters for wellbeing because economies shape jobs, incomes, public services, and the ability to respond to crises.

Social sustainability focuses on inclusion, rights, and equal access

1. Social sustainability is development that is inclusive and improves living standards for all.
2. This is the pillar of sustainability that directly overlaps with many common meanings of wellbeing: safety, rights, identity, and belonging.
3. It incorporates everyone and ensures equal access to health care, education, and resources, while respecting cultures.

Why Does Wellbeing Require Trade-Off Thinking, Not Single-Issue Answers?

1. Real decisions often involve trade-offs across the three pillars.
2. For example, building a factory might:
   1. Improve wellbeing economically (jobs, income, tax revenue)
   2. Improve wellbeing socially (funding for schools or clinics)
   3. Harm wellbeing environmentally (air and water pollution)
3. Alternatively, strict environmental regulation might:
   1. Protect long term health and ecosystems
   2. Raise short term costs for businesses and consumers
   3. Create political debates about fairness (who pays and who benefits)

How Is Objective And Subjective Evidence Used To Measure Human Wellbeing?

1. Because wellbeing is multi-dimensional, it is usually assessed using a mixture of:
   1. Objective indicators (measurable conditions)
   2. Subjective indicators (people's reported experiences and feelings)
2. Objective indicators often relate to the three pillars, for example:
   1. Social: literacy/education access, health care access, crime rates, water and sanitation access
   2. Economic: employment, income distribution, poverty rates, financial inclusion
   3. Environmental: air and water quality, exposure to pollution, access to green space
3. Subjective indicators might include life satisfaction, perceived safety, or feelings of belonging.