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Sustainable Development Indicators as Predictors of Global Happiness: Evidence from Panel Data

Palakshi Sarmah et al.

Global Business Review2026https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509261431018article
AJG 1ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

This study investigates whether sustainable development (SD) indicators related to health, women’s empowerment, economic conditions, basic facilities and environmental pollution are associated with global happiness. Happiness data from the World Happiness Report (WHR) and SD indicators from secondary sources were collected for 156 nations from 2006 to 2020. Descriptive statistics, correlations and a linear fixed-effects model were used to analyze the panel data, with a robust model validated on large samples. Findings suggest that increases in social indicators—number of doctors and female employment—and the economic indicator of gross domestic product per capita enhance happiness across nations. The social indicator of reduced deaths from obesity and the environmental indicator of reduced air pollution raise global happiness. These results underscore the importance of empowering women through employment, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, mitigating environmental and lifestyle-related risks, and fostering economic growth for overall happiness across nations.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509261431018

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@article{palakshi2026,
  title        = {{Sustainable Development Indicators as Predictors of Global Happiness: Evidence from Panel Data}},
  author       = {Palakshi Sarmah et al.},
  journal      = {Global Business Review},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509261431018},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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