Humanity faces many challenges – some, like the climate crisis, of its own making – but overall life is improving in many countries around the world. That’s according to the latest Social Progress Index (SPI), which attempts to measure the success of 168 nations. Since 2011, researchers responsible for the index have used key indicators, such as quality of healthcare, personal safety, access to education, access to technology, rights, and quality of environment, to give each nation a score. The latest findings show that Norway is the world’s most progressive country, followed by Finland and Denmark. Overall, 147 nations recorded a better score than they did a decade ago, with just four countries posting a worse score. “Social progress is advancing across the world. But it remains slow and uneven,” the report said. Some more good news: There are countries that have been highly effective at improving living standards and quality of life while emitting more modest levels of greenhouse gasses. The top ten countries for social progress include: Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, Netherlands, Japan and Germany.

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