The We Society S10 Ep4: How happy is the world in 2026? With Jan-Emmanuel De Neve
Mar 25, 2026
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Professor of Economics and Behavioural Science at Oxford and director of the Wellbeing Research Centre, discusses findings from the 2026 World Happiness Report. He covers global rankings, Finland’s strengths like trust and nature, falling youth wellbeing in the UK, the effects of social media, policy levers such as social infrastructure, and AI’s risks and opportunities for jobs and mental health.
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Huge Global Gaps From Finland To Afghanistan
- Finland tops the World Happiness Report with average life satisfaction near 7.8 versus Britain's ~6.7.
- Afghanistan scores ~1.2 after the Taliban's return, showing extreme declines tied to political conditions.
Why Finland Consistently Tops Happiness Rankings
- Finland's strengths are equality, healthy life expectancy, social support, trust in institutions and close connection to nature.
- De Neve highlights cabins, saunas and thousands of lakes as part of Finland's social and nature integration.
Britain's Drop Is Partly Others Rising Fast
- Britain's slight decline reflects both its small fall in life satisfaction and rapid gains by Central and Eastern European countries.
- Countries like Slovenia and Lithuania moved markedly upward over the past decade, pushing Britain down the ranking.