Program
Gross National Happiness (GNH) is a global indicator of progress that measures both a sustainable economy and social development, while protecting the environment and culture. Among a few of the policy areas GNH incorporates are education, environmental sustainability, land use and urban form, climate change, natural resources, socioeconomics, social justice, and cultural challenges. Its four pillars include: Good Governance, Sustainable Socioeconomic Development, Cultural Preservation, and Environmental Conservation.
GNH also values both tangible and intangible aspects of well-being; it is not opposed to material and economic progress, but it rejects the idea of pursuing economic prosperity as the only end goal. It proposes, instead, an inclusive, holistic, equitable, sustainable, and balanced development for societal well-being.
Panelists will will provide an overview of GNH, how Bhutan is implementing it, and tradeoffs for Bhutanese development, as well as a perspective from California and how it is being applied at a community level and incorporated into public policy here.
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