Episode Nine: What if we lived in a Wellbeing Economy?

Rob Hopkins

Our question this time was slightly adapted from one sent in by subscriber Pamela Barnes. As the world attempts to claw its way back from the COVID19 pandemic, and as opinion polls show an overwhelming support for not ‘going back’ to how things were before, people are increasingly discussing and exploring new models for an economy that better needs the needs of the population as a whole. One of those key ideas is that of a Wellbeing Economy, an economy that delivers both human and ecological wellbeing. It is an idea that is being taken up by governments now in Scotland, New Zealand and Iceland, and attracting interest from further afield. But what would it be like to live in a Wellbeing Economy? What would daily life look like? What would change, and what would be the same? And how would it impact on democracy, fairness, inclusion? Big questions, but fortunately we are joined by two of the very best people to help us explore them. Dr Katherine Trebeck is Advocacy and Influencing Lead for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and co-founder of Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland. She instigated the Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership and her book The Economics of Arrival was published in 2019. Yannick Beaudoin is Director-General for Ontario and Northern Canada with the David Suzuki Foundation. He brings a ‘new economics for transition’ lens to the organization to enable the transformation of Canada towards social and ecological sustainability.