Ideas worth spreading

The Happy Planet Index

2,696,379 views |

Nic Marks |

TEDGlobal 2010

• July 2010

Statistician Nic Marks asks why we measure a nation's success by its productivity -- instead of by the happiness and well-being of its people. He introduces the Happy Planet Index, which tracks national well-being against resource use (because a happy life doesn't have to cost the earth). Which countries rank highest in the HPI? You might be surprised.

Statistician Nic Marks asks why we measure a nation's success by its productivity -- instead of by the happiness and well-being of its people. He introduces the Happy Planet Index, which tracks national well-being against resource use (because a happy life doesn't have to cost the earth). Which countries rank highest in the HPI? You might be surprised.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Participate in a survey about happiness at work.

About the speaker

Nic Marks

Happiness researcher

See speaker profile

Nic Marks gathers evidence about what makes us happy, and uses it to promote policy that puts the well-being of people and the planet first. He's the founder of the Centre for Well-Being at the UK think tank New Economics Foundation (NEF).

| Explore

The Happy Planet Index

Explore the Happy Planet Index in detail. You can see data for your country, download the report, download a poster for your school or college or even see how you score on the Happy Index.

Tim Jackson | Routledge, 2011 | Book

Prosperity without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet

Read about a new economics for a finite planet by TED speaker Tim Jackson.

| Explore

Conscious Capitalism

This organization is doing great work to create a world of work which is happier and has a stronger social purpose.

Nate Silver | The Penguin Press HC, 2012 | Book

The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail — but Some Don't

If you are a statistician or use statistics in your work then this is an outstanding book you should read.

Daniel Kahneman | Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013 | Book

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Another outstanding book for statisticians or those who use statistics in their work.

| Explore

Happiness Works

Explore my new work on 'how happiness is a serious business.'

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Participate in a survey about happiness at work.