Sustainable Happiness or Exploitative Happiness? A Global Justice Perspective on Cross‐Border Spillover Effects

Bibliographic Data

ID17809665
AuthorsC W Chen (0000-0002-8688-223X, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, corresponding author)
Year2026
Publication date2026-01-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1758-5880 • E-ISSN: 1758-5899
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1758-5899.70127
OpenAlexW7126249348
LanguageEN
References cited104

National happiness levels are often attributed to domestic environmental and socioeconomic conditions or policies, yet how one country's pursuit of happiness affects others through global trade remains underexplored. This study adopts a global justice lens to examine negative spillover effects—harmful environmental and social impacts that countries impose on others via transnational supply chains and production networks. Using cross‐sectional global data for 2019 and 2024, the analyses reveal a growing concentration of spillovers, particularly from advanced economies toward more developing ones. The findings show that higher national happiness scores are frequently accompanied by greater negative spillovers, which also indirectly reduce other countries' happiness by amplifying air pollution (PM 2.5 ). This pattern reflects a global trend of “exploitative happiness” rather than “sustainable happiness.” The study highlights the limitations of current governance mechanisms in managing cross‐border supply chains and calls for transparent data sharing, robust transnational regulatory frameworks, and transformative shifts in public awareness and degrowth‐oriented lifestyles to achieve forms of happiness that do not exploit other people or the environment

Corporate governance · Economic Justice · Global governance · Happiness · Socioeconomic status · Spillover effect · Transformative learning · Cross-Border Cooperation and Integration · Economic and Technological Innovation · Energy, Environment, Economic Growth

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