Sustainability Indexes as Possible Predictors of Excess Mortality across OECD Countries during the Covid-19 Pandemic (preprint)

ABSTRACT

This study considered the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index, Human Development Index (HDI), and Environmental Performance Index (EPI) as sustainability indexes and explored their potential effectiveness as predictors of Covid-19 excess mortality among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The results indicated strong negative correlations between each index and Covid-19 excess mortality. Each of the indexes was able to consistently predict variations in excess mortality in the regression models. Such findings contribute to the current discussion on what lessons we should take away from the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically whether sustainability indexes may be useful in assessing Covid-19 outcomes. It is valuable to further examine the role sustainable policies and practices can play in preparing for future crises, as it has been demonstrated that social, economic, and environmental factors influenced the ability of a country to mitigate the impact of Covid-19. Overall, the most effective way for a country to both prevent and prepare for the next crisis is to improve health, education, and standard of living for its people, protect the environment, and achieve sustainability.