Maybe we should take a leaf out of Finland's book – last year the UN's World Happiness Report found the country to be the happiest place on Earth. The report looked at 'subjective2 well-being3'. That's how happy people feel they are and why - based on factors such as, economic strength, social support, life expectancy4, freedom of choice, generosity5, and perceived corruption6.
This is just one way of measuring happiness. Research has also suggested that while personal feelings of pleasure are the accepted definition of happiness in Western cultures, East Asian cultures tend to see happiness as social harmony, and in some parts of Africa and India it's more about shared experiences and family.
Sailesh Mehta, a barrister specialising in environmental cases, said: "The link between migration and environmental degradation is clear. As global warming makes parts of our planet uninhabitable, mass migration will become the norm. Air and water pollution do not respect national boundaries. We can stop a humanitarian and political crisis from becoming an existential one. But our leaders must act now."
He added: "We have a right to breathe clean air. Governments and courts are beginning to recognise this fundamental human right. The problem is not just that of Bangladesh and the developing world. Air pollution contributes to around 200,000 deaths a year in the UK. One in four deaths worldwide can be linked to pollution."
