Indicators and Information Systems for Sustainable …

[Pages:95]Indicators and Information Systems for Sustainable Development

by Donella M eadow s

A Report to the Balaton Group

Published by The Sustainability Institute ? 3 Linden Road ? Hartland VT 05048

? The Sustainability Institute, 1998.

Published by The Sustainability Institute ? 3 Linded Road ? Hartland VT 05049 Phone 802-436-1277 ? FAX 802-436-1281 ? Email: info@ For additional copies of this report, send US$10 to The Sustainability Institute.

ultimate ends intermediate ends

Indicators and Information Systems for Sustainable

Development

by Donella M eadow s

intermediate means

ultimate means

A Report to the Balaton Group ? September 1998

Contents

The origin of this w ork

iii

Acknow ledgments

v

Notes on the format

vii

Su m m ary

viii

1.

The nature of indicators, the importance of indicators

1

2.

Indicators, models, cultures, w orldview s

6

3.

W hy indicators of sustainable development?

11

4.

The challenge of coming up w ith good indicators

17

5.

Suggestions for indicator process and linkage

22

Hierarchy: coherence up and dow n the information system

22

The selection process: experts and citizens together

25

Systems: making indicators dynamic

27

6.

A suggested framew ork for sustainable development indicators

40

The hierarchy from ultimate means to ultimate ends

40

Natural capital (ultimate means)

47

Built capital (intermediate means)

53

Human capital (intermediate means/ends)

57

Social capital (intermediate ends)

61

Well-being (ultimate ends)

66

Integration (translating ultimate means into ultimate ends)

68

7.

Sample indicators

72

8.

Implementing, monitoring, testing, evaluating, and improving indicators

76

i

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