Annual Review of Resource Economics
From Basic Needs to Higher Fulfillment: Resource Use and Its Impact on Sustainable Well-Being
2026-07-21
Understanding the association between resource use and well-being is critical for addressing global sustainability challenges. Resources such as energy, water, and minerals are foundational in satisfying human needs, yet their consumption is linked to complex trade-offs across individual and societal well-being. Well-being encompasses multiple facets—hedonic (pleasure-based) and eudaimonic (meaning-based), subjective and objective, and individual and societal—all of which interact differently with resource use. This review synthesizes insights from different disciplines and identifies key patterns, discrepancies, and gaps in the literature. It recommends a holistic framework for examining how resource use can foster sustainable and equitable societal well-being within planetary limits. The review concludes by offering directions for future research and actionable policy and resource management strategies. Thresholds for over- and underconsumption can help policymakers design just policies and prioritize across well-being dimensions.