A thriving and prosperous economy

Raworth (2017) defines a “prosperous” and “thriving” economy as one that fosters development within the “safe and just space” for humanity, avoiding both ecological overshoot and societal shortfalls. This implies that economic growth should not occur globally if it exacerbates social inequalities or ecological harm, though it may still be appropriate in specific regions of the world where it supports equitable and sustainable development.

The graph below illustrates the relationship between social thresholds achieved (vertical axis) and biophysical boundaries transgressed (horizontal axis) for various countries. The “Humanity’s Sweet Spot” is located in the top-left-hand corner of the graph. Countries in this area achieve social well-being while staying within planetary boundaries (O’Neil et al., 2018), aligning with the concept of the “safe and just space for humanity” proposed by Raworth (2017).

As of 2025, no country operates entirely within the doughnut. Economic activities either fall short of meeting basic social needs (bottom left corner) or overshoot ecological limits, degrading the planet (top right corner). The size of the circles reflects population size, highlighting the varying scales of impact across nations.

This graph serves as a prompt to reconsider how economies operate globally and nationally, aiming to balance social well-being with ecological sustainability.

Source: O’Neill, D. W., Fanning, A. L., Lamb, W. F., & Steinberger, J. K. (2018). A good life for all within planetary boundaries. Nature Sustainability, 1(2)