Well-being ‘later’: summary
| Theme | Indicator | Position in the European Union | Position in EU ranking | Trend (2017-2024) | Most recent (average) mutation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic capital | Physical capital stock | 2023: 8th out of 13 | Middle | No change | Increase well-being (2022-2023) |
| Economic capital | Knowledge capital stock | 2023: 5th out of 14 | Middle | No change | No change (2022-2023) |
| Economic capital | Average household debt | 2023: 24th out of 25 | Low | Decrease well-being | No change (2022-2023) |
| Economic capital | Median wealth of households | Insufficient data (quality) | No data | Increase well-being | Decrease well-being (2022-2023) |
| Natural capital | Renewable electricity capacity | 2023: 7th out of 27 | High | Increase well-being | Increase well-being (2023-2024) |
| Natural capital | Managed natural assets (terrestrial) within NNN | Insufficient data (quality) | No data | Increase well-being | No change (2022-2023) |
| Natural capital | Phosphorus surplus | 2019: 18th out of 19 | Low | No change | No change (2023-2024) |
| Natural capital | Nitrogen surplus | 2019: 19th out of 19 | Low | Increase well-being | No change (2023-2024) |
| Natural capital | Fauna on land | Insufficient data (quality) | No data | Decrease well-being | No change (2022-2023) |
| Natural capital | Fauna in freshwater and marshes | Insufficient data (quality) | No data | Increase well-being | No change (2022-2023) |
| Natural capital | Surface water with sufficient chemical quality | Insufficient data (quality) | No data | No change | No change (2023-2024) |
| Natural capital | Ground water abstraction | 2022: 7th out of 16 | Middle | No change | No change (2022-2023) |
| Natural capital | Urban exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) | 2019: 8th out of 26 | Middle | Increase well-being | No change (2022-2023) |
| Natural capital | Cumulative CO2 emissions | 2022: 13th out of 16 | Low | No change | No change (2023-2024) |
| Human capital | Hours worked | 2024: 13th out of 21 | Middle | Increase well-being | Increase well-being (2023-2024) |
| Human capital | Level of education achieved: HBO, university | 2023: 7th out of 27 | High | Increase well-being | No change (2023-2024) |
| Human capital | Healthy life expectancy of women | 2022: 25th out of 27 | Low | No change | No change (2023-2024) |
| Human capital | Healthy life expectancy of men | 2022: 16th out of 27 | Middle | No change | No change (2023-2024) |
| Social capital | Trust in other people | 2023: 2nd out of 19 | High | Increase well-being | No change (2023-2024) |
| Social capital | Feelings of discrimination | 2023: 18th out of 19 | Low | No change | No change (2020-2023) |
| Social capital | Trust in institutions | 2023: 3rd out of 19 | High | No change | Increase well-being (2023-2024) |
Well-being ‘later’ describes the resources that future generations need in order to achieve the same level of well-being as that of the current generation. There are economic, natural, human and social resources, also known as ‘capitals’. In the long term, the quantity of these various forms of capital must be maintained at the same level in order to achieve sustainability.
Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being
Well-being appears to be becoming more sustainable, but the level is not high. Aside from two indicators, economic, human, natural and social capital are constant or increasing. Compared with other countries in the EU, the resources available for later generations are average or even on the low side. This points to the fact that, despite favourable developments, well-being ‘later’ is under threat.Economic capital
Economic capital comprises the machinery and tools, ICT, intellectual capital and infrastructure required to build material well-being and generate economic growth. Economic capital also includes assets and debts, where debt is viewed as negative and is offset by assets.
The quantity of economic capital appears to be being maintained: the trends are stable. The medium-term trends for the stocks of physical and intellectual capital per hour worked are stable. A less rosy picture emerges when a longer timescale is considered. Although stocks of these forms of capital did grow in real terms, the number of hours worked grew faster. The Netherlands is very gradually losing its lead over the 13 other EU countries with which comparison is possible.
Investments to maintain economic capital also display a less positive picture when expressed as a percentage of GDP. Investments in tangible fixed assets (such as machinery and buildings) and R&D are constant, whereas investments in ICT and civil engineering are falling. Only private R&D expenditure is increasing. The level of investments is average (R&D and ICT) or low (tangible fixed assets) in European terms. Investments in new capital goods, knowledge and technological innovations are required in order to maintain the earning capacity of the Dutch economy. One reason why this is so is that the ageing of the population is putting pressure on the financial sustainability of pensions and public provisions for the next generation. The economy is still growing, but primarily because Dutch people are working more hours in total. The growth in labour productivity has been declining for some time, and in 2023 and 2024 labour productivity actually fell.
Household wealth is trending upwards. However, median wealth was lower in 2023 than in 2022. This fall was mainly the result of the decline in house prices and the influx of Ukrainians who have few or no assets (registered in the Netherlands). Household debt is high compared with the EU27 and is increasing.
Natural capital
Natural capital concerns the natural resources used by people, society and the economy. This comprises soil, water and air, along with the associated ecosystems such as forests, heath and arable land, and the plants and animals which occur there. Nature contributes to all kinds of aspects of well-being, such as health and welfare, heating, food production and leisure activities.
Spatial pressure is increasing due to a growing population. The space available for nature has grown slightly, but the pressure on nature is still high due to phosphorus and nitrogen surpluses. However, the nitrogen surplus is falling, and in 2023 and 2024 was the lowest since measurements began in 2000. Compared with 18 other EU countries, the Netherlands had the largest nitrogen surplus by some margin in 2019. More than 70 percent of natural land areas are affected by excess nitrogen.
The quality of surface water is inadequate. In 2024, 0.0 percent of the area of fresh surface water met the chemical quality standard and 5.1 percent was of good biological quality. Air quality is improving. Urban exposure to particulate matter and emissions of substances that cause acidification are falling.
Pressure on nature has an impact on biodiversity. Populations of meadow, field and farmyard birds are declining. The same is true of mammals, breeding birds, reptiles and butterflies characteristic of forest, heathland, dunes and extensively managed grasslands. Some species are doing better. The proportion of non-threatened species has increased slightly, to 61 percent in 2024. Populations of saltwater animal species have been growing since 2010. Populations of species which are typical of freshwater and marsh are also increasing. The average development of biodiversity can conceal major differences per species.
The Dutch share of historic global CO2 emissions is high compared with other EU countries. Greenhouse gas emissions are falling, however, both as a total and per inhabitant. In 2024, greenhouse gas emissions were 36.6 percent lower than 1990 levels. The installed capacity of renewable electricity from wind, water and solar is growing fast, in part due to the construction of onshore and offshore wind farms and the rapid growth in the capacity of solar power installations. In 2017, the Netherlands was ranked only 22nd in the EU, with a total installed capacity of 416 megawatts per million inhabitants. By 2024, installed capacity had grown to 2,000 megawatts per million inhabitants, putting the Netherlands among the leaders in 7th place.
Human capital
Human capital concerns the knowledge and skills that people build up during their lives and their state of health, which enables them to develop and make full use of their capacities, function effectively within society and manage their own lives.
In 2024, the healthy life expectancy of men was 63.5 years, while the figure for women was 62.0 years. Healthy life expectancy indicates how long after their birth people can expect to remain in good health. Within the EU, the Netherlands was in the middle of the ranking for men in 2022 but nearly at the bottom for women. In 2024, 76.6 percent of the Dutch population described their health as ‘good’ or ‘very good’; apparently, therefore, more than four million Dutch people regard their health as less than good. In 2024, 4.5 percent of the population (aged 16 and over) faced serious limitations in their normal daily activities due to long-term health problems. This percentage is falling, although it still represents over 650,000 people.
More and more hours are being worked per inhabitant. The proportion of the population aged 15 to 74 with a higher vocational or university qualification increased to 37 percent in 2024. However, approximately a quarter of 15- to 74-year-olds had no basic educational qualification in 2024. This proportion is high compared with the EU27, although it is falling. The share of the population with a maximum educational attainment of senior general secondary education (HAVO), pre-university education (VWO) or secondary vocational education (MBO) level 2-4 fell to 36.7 percent of 15- to 74-year-olds in 2024. The maths skills of 15-year-olds are strong compared with other EU countries, whereas their reading skills are weaker than those of their peers in most other EU countries. Reading skills have been declining since 2012.
Social capital
Social capital concerns the quality of social connections within society. Trust and strong social relations are a precondition for a functioning society and economy.
Approximately two-thirds of the population aged 15 and over say they trust other people. This percentage is rising and high compared with other EU countries. Social activities lead to mutual trust. For the first time in years, the proportion of the population who report having social interactions with family, friends or neighbours at least once a week has stopped falling. In addition, a growing percentage of the population provide unpaid assistance to others outside their own households in their free time.
Trust in institutions is high. Trust in the courts and the police is high and growing. Trust in civil servants, the House of Representatives, local councils and the European Union increased between 2023 and 2024. International figures on good governance reveal that the quality of Dutch public institutions is high compared with other countries.
A relatively high proportion of people feel discriminated against. In 2023, 12 percent of the population aged 15 years and over regarded themselves as belonging to a group that is subject to discrimination. That is the second highest percentage of the 19 EU countries for which comparison is possible. Social cohesion within residential neighbourhoods was slightly lower in 2023 than in 2021. In the long term, social cohesion is fairly constant. Shared ethical standards and moral values promote social cohesion and act as glue within society. In 2024, approximately 20 percent of adults said they felt ethical standards and moral values were either stable or moving in the right direction.