Politicians and economists fixate on "growing the economy"--measured by a country's gross domestic product. But this yardstick counts harmful activities such as greenhouse gas emissions, plastic waste, and cigarette sales as gains, and it ignores environmental protection, voluntary community work, and other benefits. What we measure is a choice, and what is and isn't counted determines what sorts of policies are enacted. How can we shift the focus to well-being and quality of life? What Really Counts is an essential, firsthand story of the promise and challenges of accounting for social, economic, and environmental benefits. Ronald Colman recounts two decades of working with three governments to adopt measures capable of quantifying factors that GDP overlooks. Chronicling his path from Nova Scotia to New Zealand to Bhutan, Colman details the challenge of devising meaningful metrics, the effort to see alternatives realized, and the obstacles that stand in the way of implementing new systems.

A Note to Readers: Coronavirus-a Turning Point for Humanity?Prologue1. The Magic Number2. Counting What Matters3. A Nova Scotia Start4. The New Measures in Action5. Scaling Up6. Challenges Behind the Scenes7. Genuine Progress Meets Politics8. A New Zealand Interlude9. Invitation to Bhutan10. (Mis)Measuring Gross National Happiness11. Educating for Gross National Happiness12. The Gap Between Words and Action13. A "New Economic Paradigm" for the World14. Can Genuine Progress Really Happen?15. Forging a New EconomyAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex