Draft version, 10 February 2004

European Regional Network on Sustainable Development

Indicators for Sustainable Development

aper for !is"ussion #ar!iff, 2$%24 &ar"' 2004

by Johanna Alkan Olsson, Tuija Hilding-Rydevik, Hallgeir Aalbu and Karin Bradley

Table of Contents 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................2 2 What is sustainable development?.........................................................................................3 2.1 Dimensions of sustainable development........................................................................3 2.2 Different interpretations of sustainable development.................................................5 2.3 The operationalisation of SD is context dependent .....................................................8 3 What is an indicator for sustainable development?..............................................................8 3.1 Methodologies for measuring sustainable development............................................1 3.2 Methodologies for measuring sustainable regional development.............................1 3 Accounting for the wh !" who! and how!.....................................................................11 !.1 The "h#..........................................................................................................................12 !.2 The "ho..........................................................................................................................12 !.3 The ho" .........................................................................................................................12 # What constitutes a good indicator for sustainable development?.......................................1$ $ %he use of &'I from a regional perspective........................................................................2( )eferences and further reading ............................................................................................22 Anne* 1+ ,urostat sustainable development indicators.......................................................2-

Introduction

('is !raft paper is pro!u"e! for t'e European Regional Ne !ork on "us ainable #evelop$en , as part of t'e preparations for a seminar in #ar!iff in &ar"' 2004) *t t'is seminar, members of t'e network will supplement t'e paper wit' e+perien"es from t'eir regions) * number of ,uestions for t'e regions are t'erefore presente! in t'e final se"tion of t'is paper) #on"erns about t'e environment an! !evelopment are not new) &ore re"ently a global !ebate 'as forme! aroun! t'e strategies nee!e! to a!!ress t'e "'allenges pose! by t'ese "on"erns) ('is !ebate 'as its roots in t'e environmental movement an! t'e post%-orl! -ar .. !is"ussion on !evelopment) ('ese two !is"ussions merge! in t'e late 1/00s into t'e !ebate on sustainable !evelopment 1SD2) ('e European #ommission 'as s'own in"reasing interest in SD, not only in t'e "onte+t of environmental poli"ies but in t'e "onte+t of all poli"y !e"isions, be t'ey e"onomi", so"ial or environmental) ('e poli"y "onte+t of SD "an be tra"e! ba"k to 1//2, an! t'e &aastri"'t (reaty on t'e European 3nion) ('is treaty a!!e! furt'er environmental ob4e"tives into t'e original ob4e"tives of t'e (reaty of Rome) .n 1//$ t'e a!option of t'e Fift' *"tion rogramme on ('e Environment strengt'ene! t'e position of SD in E3 poli"ies) ('e treaty of *mster!am in 1//0 went furt'er by a!opting t'e t'reefol! !efinition of sustainable !evelopment an! stating t'at t'e 3nion5s finan"ial instruments s'oul! work, simultaneously an! in t'e long%term, towar!s e"onomi" growt', so"ial "o'esion an! t'e prote"tion of t'e environment) *fter t'e a!option of a Sustainable Development Strategy at t'e European #oun"il on 6ot'enburg 17uly 20012, SD 'as be"ome a "ore "on"ern in all E3 poli"y%making) *s a result of t'is !evelopment t'e reform of t'e E3 Stru"tural Fun! programmes 'as seen SD "riteria being a!!e! to t'e stan!ar!s of evaluation 1European #ommission, 1///2) ('is means t'at if sustainable !evelopment were not alrea!y an issue in regional !evelopment it will !efinitely be"ome one in t'e near future) #entral to t'e work of a"'ieving sustainable !evelopment is t'e ability to evaluate t'e SD potential of !ifferent poli"ies an! pro4e"ts, as well as to i!entify t'e tren!s t'at are, or are not, sustainable, tren!s t'at pose severe or irreversible t'reats to our future ,uality of life) Sustainable !evelopment in!i"ators 1SD.2 are t'e most fre,uently use! tools in t'is "onte+t, bot' as a way of measuring an! evaluating any positive or negative !evelopment towar!s sustainable !evelopment, an! as a way of "ommuni"ating t'is information 18ell an! &orse, 200$, European #ommission, 20012) #onse,uently, measuring an! monitoring SD in t'e form of in!i"ators 'as be"ome an important part of t'e E3 Stru"tural Fun!s pro"ess) 9ikewise, for t'e European Regional Network on Sustainable Development a "entral t'eme is to !evelop in!i"ators an! monitor sustainable !evelopment at t'e regional level) Sustainability in!i"ators 'ave been in worl!wi!e use for some time lo"ally, regionally, nationally, an! in international organisations su"' as t'e 3N system) *s su"', useful information "an be !rawn form t'ese e+perien"es) ('e SD. literature is 'owever a veritable 4ungle of !ifferent approa"'es an! numerous "ase stu!ies) ('e use of SD. as an evaluative tool is still very mu"' in its infan"y 1&a"6illivray, 1//:, 8ell an! &orse, 200$2 resulting in more ,uestions t'an answers) -'at s'oul! be measure! an! w'at "oul! be e+"lu!e!; -'at are t'e most effe"tive in!i"ators; <ow s'oul! t'ey be organise!; -'i"' !ata sour"es are available; -'at s'all be !one w'en t'ere is la"k of !ata; *n! 'ow "an t'e in!i"ators be "ommuni"ate!; ('e aim of t'is paper is to !is"uss !ifferent aspe"ts of t'e !esign an! use of SD.s, in or!er to spur a !is"ussion on t'eir use at t'e regional level) ('e paper is a review of t'e "urrent literature an! pra"ti"e on t'e !esign an! use of SD.) .t "ontains, in a!!ition to t'is 2

intro!u"tion, five se"tions) (o be able to !is"uss SD., it is "ru"ial to "riti"ally !is"uss t'e meaning an! un!erstan!ings of SD) ('e se"on! se"tion t'erefore "ontains a !is"ussion on t'e "on"ept an! !ifferent interpretations of sustainable !evelopment) ('e t'ir! se"tion !is"usses t'e features an! "ontent of SD. as well as !ifferent types of SD., fo"using in parti"ular on t'e E3 initiatives in relation to regional SD.) *s t'e initial purpose of a pro4e"t is "entral to w'at type of SD. t'at oug't to be use!, t'e fourt' se"tion a!!resses t'ree essential ,uestions 'ere p'rase! as =t'e w'y>, =w'o> an! ='ow> of an SD. pro4e"t) ('e fift' se"tion !is"usses w'at "oul! be "onsi!ere! to be a goo! in!i"ator for sustainable !evelopment) ('e si+t' an! final se"tion "on"lu!es t'e ma4or points fo"using on t'e spe"ifi" problems an! possibilities fa"ing t'e regional use of SD.)

What is sustainable development?

2.1 Dimensions of sustainable development

('e wor! sustainable is use! fre,uently an! in many !ifferent "ombinations, sustainable !evelopment, sustainable growt', sustainable "ommunity, sustainable in!ustry, sustainable e"onomy, agri"ulture et") 8ut w'at !oes it a"tually mean; Sustainable !evelopment 1SD2 was use! for t'e first time in t'e 1/00 .3#N report, %orld &onserva ion " ra egy' (iving resour)es *or sus ainable develop$en ) ('e per'aps most "ommonly ,uote! !efinition wit'in to!ay5s e+tensive SD literature is t'e popularisation an! !efinition of t'e "on"ept ma!e by t'e -orl! #ommission on Environment an! Development publis'e! in 1/0? in t'e report Our &o$$on +u ure also "alle! t'e Brund land Repor ' "us ainable develop$en is develop$en ha $ee s he needs o* )urren genera ions !i hou )o$pro$ising he abili y o* *u ure genera ions o $ee heir needs, - )on ains !i hin i !o key )on)ep s' he )on)ep o* needs, in par i)ular he essen ial needs o* he !orld.s poor o !hi)h overriding priori y should be given/ and he idea o* li$i a ions i$posed by he s a e o* e)hnology and so)ial organisa ion on he environ$en .s abili y o $ee presen and *u ure needs 0%&E#, 1234'567 .n 1//2 t'e 3nite! Nations #onferen"e on Environment an! Development, 'el! in Rio, establis'e! SD as a "ommon goal of 'uman !evelopment for t'e roug'ly 1@0 "ountries t'at atten!e! t'e meeting, w'i"' t'en be"ame manifest in t'e a"tion programme *gen!a 21) Sin"e 1//2 SD 'as be"ome a wi!ely use! "on"ept an! goal in international, national, regional an! lo"al politi"s) ('e roots of t'e sustainable !evelopment "on"ept "an be foun! in t'e emerging environmental "ons"iousness of t'e 1/@0s an! in t'e i!entifi"ation of t'e link between e"onomi" !evelopment an! environmental !egra!ation an! pollution) ('is !evelopment was "losely relate! to t'e repla"ement of t'e optimism about t'e "reation of a mo!ern te"'nologi"al utopia wit' a new un!erstan!ing of t'e for"es "ontributing to t'e worl!5s problems) 9ike ot'er !evelopment approa"'es, sustainable !evelopment is about t'e improvement of t'e 'uman "on!ition, yet unlike many of t'e ot'ers it !oes not only emp'asise e"onomi" growt', but it stresses t'e importan"e of a balan"e between e"onomi" growt' an! environmental prote"tion) ('e general un!erstan!ing of SD "ompromise two !imensionsA t'e notion of !evelopment 1to make better2 an! sustainability 1to maintain2) SD is "lassi"ally e+plaine! as

t'e balan"ing between environmental, e"onomi" an! so"ial aspe"ts of !evelopment 16oo!lan! an! Daly, 1//@2) ('ese t'ree aspe"ts are fre,uently !efine! as t'e t'ree pillars of SD) Bne important !ifferen"e from ot'er ma"ro t'eories of !evelopment is t'e un!erlying p'ilosop'y t'at w'at is !one now to improve t'e ,uality of life of people s'oul! not !egra!e t'e environment 1in its wi!est bio%p'ysi"al an! so"io%e"onomi" sense2 an! resour"es su"' t'at future generations are put at a !isa!vantage) ('e emp'asis on t'e worl!5s poor also implies a link between environmental "on"erns an! e"onomi"% an! so"ial !evelopment over bot' spa"e an! time) .f earlier !evelopment t'eories fo"usse! on t'e e"onomy, t'e use of SD 'as t'us far, in politi"s, pra"ti"e an! resear"' emp'asise! its environmental !imension) (o!ay t'e "on"ept of SD 'as broa!ene! its perspe"tive, wit' more emp'asis now being put also on t'e so"ial !imension 1European #ommission, 20022) *not'er important aspe"t of sustainable !evelopment is t'at it is seen as a parti"ipatory pro"ess) Sustainable !evelopment is not assume! to be impose! by a small minority of te"'no"rats or poli"y%makers from above) ('is i!ea is embo!ie! in rin"iple 10 of t'e Rio De"laration on Environment an! Development w'ere it is state! t'atC Environmental .ssues are best 'an!le! wit' t'e parti"ipation of all "on"erne! "itiDens) art of t'e emp'asis in "reating sustainable !evelopment 'as "onse,uently been to in"lu!e stake'ol!ers in t'e !etermination of w'at nee!s to be !one an! 'ow 16uy an! Eibert, 1//02) Sustainable !evelopment may t'us be seen as in"orporating t'ree !ifferent aspe"tsA 8alan"e! !evelopment 1tra!e%offs between so"ial, environmental an! e"onomi" interests s'oul! be taken into "onsi!eration2) E,uity an! s'are! responsibility e+ten!e! over time an! spa"e arti"ipation

SD is often presente! in visual terms) Figure 1 is one su"' illustration, s'owing t'e relations'ip between t'e environment, so"iety an! t'e e"onomy as t'ree "ir"les wit'in "ir"les, in!i"ating 'ow t'is linkage "oul! be un!erstoo!) ('e e"onomy is 'ere assume! to e+ist wit'in so"iety be"ause all parts of t'e 'uman e"onomy re,uire intera"tion among people) <owever, so"iety is more t'an 4ust t'e e"onomy) Frien!s an! families, musi" an! art, religion an! et'i"s are important elements of so"iety, but t'ey are not primarily base! on e+"'anging goo!s an! servi"es) So"iety in turn, e+ists entirely wit'in t'e environment) Bur basi" re,uirements F of air foo! an! water F "ome from t'e environment, as !o t'e energy an! raw materials for 'ousing, transportation an! t'e pro!u"ts we !epen! upon) ('e environment surroun!s so"iety be"ause our nee! for foo!, water, raw materials an! air so"iety "an never be larger t'an t'e environment)

$igure 1 One illus ra ion o* he possible rela ion be !een he environ$en al, e)ono$i) and so)ial
develop$en , Here he environ$en is assu$ed o de*ine he li$i s *or e)ono$i) and so)ial develop$en , O her in erpre a ions o* he rela ion be !een na ure and he e)ono$i) sys e$ do ho!ever e8is , as des)ribed in se) ion 9,9,

Bn attempting to put SD into a"tion it is too general, an! of little a"tual utility, to talk of t'e balan"ing of t'ese Gt'ree pillars5) (o make SD more "on"rete, several writers 'ave transforme! t'ese pillars into !ifferent types of "apitals to be able to more easily illustrate t'e linkages an! tra!e%offs between t'em 18ossel, 1///2) * fre,uent "lassifi"ation is four types of "apital, namely, manufa"ture! "apital, natural "apital, 'uman "apital an! so"ial "apital 1Daly, 1//0, European #ommission, 20022 Manufactured capital

&anufa"ture! 1or 'uman%ma!e2 "apital is w'at we tra!itionally "onsi!er to be "apitalA pro!u"e! assets t'at are use! to pro!u"e ot'er goo!s an! servi"es) Some e+amples are ma"'ines, tools, buil!ings an! infrastru"ture) %atural capital

Natural "apital is sometimes sub%!ivi!e! into, natural resour"es, e"ologi"al or e"osystem servi"es an! aest'eti" "apital 1<art, 1///2) ('e natural resour"es are fis', timber, water, energy an! mineral servi"es) ('e e"osystem servi"es are for e+ample air an! water filtration an! !e"omposition an! t'e aest'eti" "apital is un!erstoo! t'e =beauty> of t'e nature surroun!ing us) ('is type of "apital 'as be"ome important, partly !ue to t'at tourism 'as be"ome an in"reasingly important e"onomi" se"tor) &uman capital

<uman "apital generally refers to t'e 'ealt', well %being, an! t'e pro!u"tive potential of in!ivi!ual people) (ypes of 'uman "apital in"lu!e mental an! p'ysi"al 'ealt', e!u"ation, motivation, an! work skills) ('ese elements not only "ontribute to a 'appy, 'ealt'y so"iety, but also improve t'e opportunities for e"onomi" !evelopment t'roug' a pro!u"tive workfor"e) Social capital

So"ial "apital, like 'uman "apital, is relate! to 'uman well being, but on a so"ietal rat'er t'an an in!ivi!ual level) .t "onsists of t'e so"ial networks t'at support an effi"ient, "o'esive so"iety, an! fa"ilitate so"ial an! intelle"tual intera"tions among it members) So"ial "apital refers to t'ose sto"ks of so"ial trust, norms an! networks t'at people "an !raw upon to solve "ommon problems an! to "reate so"ial "o'esion) E+amples of so"ial "apital in"lu!e neig'bour'oo! asso"iations, "ivi" organisations an! "o%operatives) ('e politi"al an! legal stru"tures, w'i"' promote politi"al stability, !emo"ra"y, governmental effi"ien"y, an! so"ial 4usti"e, are also a part of sto"k of so"ial "apital)
2.2 Different interpretations of sustainable development

('e !efinition of sustainable !evelopment or t'e "ategorisation of !ifferent aspe"ts of SD may seem to be simple an! straig'tforwar!) Some s"ientists 'ave even ma!e more or less su""essful attempts to !erive a "ommon un!erstan!ing of SD using natural s"ien"e as a base) <owever, w'en asking s"ientists t'e ,uestion, 'ow mu"' pollution "an nature wit'stan!, t'e answer is not straig'tforwar!, but instea! rat'er !epen!s upon w'i"' s"ientifi" !is"ipline,

geograp'i"al s"ale an! time perspe"tive is a!opte!) *lt'oug' a !esire for t'e improvement of t'e 'uman "on!ition an! a "on"ern for future generations rests at t'e 'eart of SD, t'e !etails of w'at t'is balan"ing between e"onomi"al, environmental an! so"ial aspe"ts implies in pra"ti"e 'as been open to mu"' !ebate) ('e ma4or reason is t'at t'ere are !isagreements between !ifferent groups of people as to 'ow to strike a balan"e between t'e e"onomy, t'e environment an! so"iety) ('e "'osen perspe"tive is "riti"al 'ere, an! as soon as more t'an one person is in"lu!e! t'en, by !efinition interpretations multiply) -'at is one person5s !efinition of SD is anot'er5s !espoliation, !egra!ation an! e+ploitation, as is t'e "ase for natural resour"e e+tra"tion at t'e global level 1Da'l, 1//?2) (o un!erstan! sustainable !evelopment it is important to un!erstan! t'ese !iffering interpretations) Several attempts 'ave been ma!e to "ategorise t'ese !ifferen"es 1Da'l, 1//?, *llenby et al, 1//02) ('ese "ategorisations in"lu!e a number of basi" ,uestionsA -'at assumptions are ma!e "on"erning t'e relations'ip between 'umankin! an! nature F !oes nature 'ave a value in itself 1intrinsi" value2 or only in relation to 'uman interest; ('ese basi" an! often un"ons"ious an! ta"it assumptions 'ave !ire"t impli"ations for t'e "'oi"e of SD poli"y an! a"tion 1Stenmark, 20022) <ow mu"' pollution "an nature wit'stan!; -'at !oes e,uity an! s'are! responsibility mean; -'at s'oul! be t'e time s"ope an! t'e geograp'i"al boun!aries of responsibility; -'at is un!erstoo! as soun! e"onomi" growt'; -'at is t'e role of t'e e"onomy in SD; (o w'at e+tent s'oul! t'e publi" be involve! in !e"ision%making; *n! finally, an! per'aps t'e most basi" ,uestion of allA w'at is seen as t'e goo! life; ('e interpretation of SD is in some instan"es base! on, for e+ample, totally !ifferent basi" et'i"al assumptions or basi" assumptions on t'e nature of t'e e"onomi" system) Some stress t'e ability of growt' an! a free market system to solve t'e problems, ot'er stress t'e importan"e of e,uality between people, yet ot'er groups stress t'e importan"e of e,uity between all living beings) .n t'e SD literature, it is "ommon to !istinguis' between weak an! strong sustainability 18ell an! &orse, 1///2) -eak sustainability is base! on t'e i!ea t'at welfare is not generally !epen!ent on a spe"ifi" form of "apital an! "an in most "ases be maintaine! by substituting manufa"ture! "apital for natural) Strong sustainability on t'e ot'er 'an! !erives from a !ifferent per"eption w'ere it is not so evi!ent to substitute manufa"ture! "apital for natural) ('e arguments of t'e position of strong sustainability relate to environmental "'ara"teristi"s su"' as irreversibility an! un"ertainty) ('ere are also !iffering interpretations as to t'e so"ietal me"'anisms "ausing unsustainable !evelopment an! t'us w'at oug't to be "'ange!) (wo main poles "an be i!entifie! 1Falk'e!en, 20002) ('e first looks upon environmental problems as so"ietal problems) .n t'is approa"', referre! to as e"ologi"al mo!ernisation, it is assume! t'at e"onomi" growt' an! environmental management "an be ma!e "ompatible t'roug' t'e integration of e"ologi"al "onsi!erations into establis'e! institutional arrangement an! ways of t'inking 1<a4er, 1//:2) ('e ot'er pole assumes t'at environmental problems are t'e result of profoun! "ultural problems t'at "an only be "'ange! t'roug' more ra!i"al "'anges in our e"onomi" systems an! in t'e "on!itions of pro!u"tion, !istribution an! e+"'ange) .t is assume! 'ere t'at "'anges in our per"eptions of reality an! in our per"eptions of our relation to nature are nee!e! 1Falk'e!en, 20002) ('is line of t'oug't ,uestions some of t'e main elements of t'e western para!igm of !evelopment)1 Bne of t'e more profoun! lines of t'oug't "on"erns e"onomi" growt' an! !evelopment an! 'ow t'is relates to SD 1Friman, 20022) .n re"ent years e"onomists 'ave ta"kle! t'is issue somew'at !ifferently) ('e !ifferent lines of t'oug't F environmental e"onomi"s an! e"ologi"al e"onomi"s F also illustrate t'e two poles !es"ribe! above) Environmental
1

#on"ept from <ettne 1/0$ in Falk'e!en 2000)

e"onomi"s buil!s upon mainstream neo"lassi"al t'eory an! generally views 6D %growt' 16ross Domesti" ro!u"t2 an! SD as "ompatible) 8ut t'is "ompatibility !epen!s upon w'at kin! of pro!u"tion an! "onsumption is promote! or allowe!) 6rowt' is per"eive! as a prere,uisite for prosperity but it is also a"knowle!ge! t'at growt' 'as negative environmental impa"ts) .n or!er for 6D %growt' to be sustainable, a""urate pri"ing is nee!e!) ('ere also seems to be an agreement among environmental e"onomists t'at t'ere is no reason to believe t'at environmental poli"ies will affe"t long%term e"onomi" growt' 16ol!in an! -inters, 1//: in Friman, 20022) E"ologi"al e"onomi"s "riti"ise t'e assumptions above an! t'eir protagonistsH "laim t'at it is not enoug' to take t'e e+ternal effe"ts into "onsi!eration an! ot'erwise "ontinue as usual) .f "ost internalisation were implemente! fully t'e visibility of environmental problems woul! in"rease an! t'e in"entives for !iminis'ing t'em woul! also in"rease 1Friman, 20022) 8ut t'ese strong for"es, i)e) powerful pro!u"er% an! "onsumer interests, aim at t'e ma+imisation of profits an! at keeping pri"es low) ('us t'e pro"ess of e"onomi" growt' is in itself "reating veste! interests opposing t'e internalisation of environmental "osts 18oot', 1//? in Friman, 20022) ('e environmentally base! EuDnets #urve 'as been use! by environmental e"onomists to prove t'e relations'ip between a !e"rease in environmental stress an! 'ig' in"ome levels) ('e inverte! 3 "urve implies t'at environmental stress is initially an impa"t of growt') *t a "ertain in"ome level, 'owever, t'e "urve turns !ownwar!s an! t'us environmental stress gra!ually !e"reases) ('is is interprete! as illustrating t'e possibility t'at "ountries or regions "oul! Ggrow5 out of t'eir environmental problems) 8ot' environmental an! e"ologi"al e"onomists 'ave 'owever toget'er state! t'at "aution s'oul! be applie! in !rawing "on"lusions from t'e fin!ings be'in! t'e EuDnets #urve 1*rrow et al, 1//:2A = %hile hey do indi)a e ha e)ono$i) gro! h $ay be asso)ia ed !i h i$prove$en s in so$e environ$en al indi)a ors, hey i$ply nei her ha e)ono$i) gro! h is su**i)ien o indu)e environ$en al i$prove$en in general, nor ha he environ$en al e**e) s o* gro! h $ay be ignored, nor indeed, ha he Ear h.s resour)e base is )apable o* suppor ing inde*ini e e)ono$i) gro! h, -n *a) , i* his base !ere o be irreversibly degraded, e)ono$i) a) ivi y i sel* )ould be a risk,: Bne of Friman5s "on"lusions from 'is !is"ussion of t'e !ifferent lines of e"onomi" t'oug't in relation to SD is t'at t'ere is agreement = ha ; he< environ$en al e**e) s o* gro! h $us no be ignored: in!epen!ent of t'e e"onomi" line of t'oug't referre! to above, -'en !is"ussing !ifferent interpretations of SD in relation to varying lines of e"onomi" t'oug't, t'e "on"ept of sustainable growt' nee!s to be mentione!) Re"ently t'is "on"ept 'as entere! t'e SD !is"ussions) ('ere are 'owever a number of !ifferent views prevalent amongst e"onomists as to w'et'er t'is "on"ept is an o+ymoron or not) Friman 120022 "on"lu!es t'at t'e interpretation of sustainable growt' as a prospe"t or as an o+ymoron will !epen! upon two t'ingsA t'e "on"eption of t'e nature of t'e e"onomi" system an! w'et'er or not growt' an! !evelopment are given !istin"t !efinitions) .f t'e e"onomi" system is viewe! as a subsystem an! growt' is !efine! as a ,uantitative "'ange of t'e p'ysi"al !imensions of t'e e"onomi" system, w'ile !evelopment is !efine! as a ,ualitative "'ange, t'e "on"ept of sustainable growt' be"omes in'erently "ontra!i"tory) .f !evelopment an! growt' are 'owever seen as "on"epts t'at "over t'e same p'enomenon 1but refer to !ifferent "onte+ts 22 an! t'e e"onomi" system is not viewe! as a subsystem 1but rat'er as a free%floating system in relation to t'e system Eart'2 sustainable growt' be"omes a ne"essary an! prosperous "on"ept, if SD is taken seriously 1Friman, 20022)
2

Friman 2002, p 10?, argues t'at in "onventional e"onomi" language Ggrowt'5 is use! for 'ig'%in"ome nations an! !evelopment for low%in"ome nations) <e also points out 'owever t'at surprisingly few of t'e e"onomists, t'at !is"uss SD a"tually !efine t'e "on"epts of growt' an! !evelopment)

2.3 The operationalisation of SD is context dependent

.t 'as been argue! t'at t'e attra"tiveness of t'e "on"ept of sustainable !evelopment lies in its elusiveness 1Re!"lifts 1/0?A4C B5Rior!an 1/002) ('e elusiveness of t'e "on"ept of sustainable !evelopment 'as been fun"tional w'en t'e main "on"ern is to !rive t'roug' a broa! "onsensus or to attain a minimum "ommitment to some broa! un!erstan!ing of "'ange) <owever, its utility 'as been s'own to !iminis' w'en trying to operationalise t'e "on"ept wit' a view to un!ertaking more e+a"t ma"ro%e"onomi", politi"al or so"ial "'anges) ('is problem was one of t'e most important "'allenges !is"usse! at t'e G10 years after Rio5 3N "onferen"e, in 7o'annesburg in 2002) .n t'e SD literature of to!ay it be"omes ever "learer t'at to un!erstan! an! to operationalise sustainable !evelopment, it is "ru"ial to move away from literary or s"ientifi" !efinitions an! towar!s a pro"ess t'at re"ognises t'e !iversity of perspe"tives 1&eppem an! 6ill, 1//02) ('e !etails of w'at "ompromises SD s'oul! be un!erstoo! as somet'ing 'ig'ly "onte+t spe"ifi", as it woul! be illogi"al to e+pe"t t'e same "on!itions to apply everyw'ere) ('e interpretation an! operationalisation of t'e broa! un!erstan!ing an! !efinition of SD into sustainable regional !evelopment t'erefore 'as to be !one in t'e spe"ifi" "onte+t of ea"' in!ivi!ual region) .t also nee!s to be base! on e+pli"it stan!points "on"erning t'e unsustainable !evelopment patterns in t'e region an! a vision, goal of w'ere t'e regional !evelopment is aiming at from an SD point of view)

What is an indicator for sustainable development?

('ere are many tools an! met'o!ologies !esigne! to measure an! "ommuni"ate progress towar!s SD) Bne of t'e most popular tools is in!i"ators an! in!i"es, an in!e+ being an amalgam of more t'an one in!i"ator) * sustainable !evelopment in!i"ator 1SD.2 "an generally be un!erstoo! as a ,uantitative tool t'at analyses "'anges, w'ile measuring an! "ommuni"ating progress towar!s t'e sustainable use an! management of e"onomi", so"ial, institutional an! environmental resour"es) *n in!i"ator is somet'ing t'at points to an issue or "on!ition) .ts purpose is to s'ow 'ow well a system is working towar!s t'e !efine! goals) *n in!i"ator "an also be use! in an evaluation, assessing if a !evelopment pro4e"t takes into "onsi!eration aspe"ts of SD) .n!i"ators are normally seen as somet'ing ,uantifiable an! in t'at sense an in!i"ator is not t'e same t'ing as an in!i"ation) ('is !oes not mean t'at t'ere "an be no ,ualitative in!i"ators) ('e "'oi"e between ,uantitative an! ,ualitative in!i"ators !epen!s mainly on t'e purpose of t'e in!i"ators, t'oug' ,uantifiable in!i"ators are more fre,uently use! 16allopin 1//?2) (ra!itional measures su"' as unemployment rates, e"onomi" growt' rates, t'e per"entage of t'e population below t'e poverty line, rates of 'omelessness, "rime, ast'ma or figures on volunteer working, politi"al involvement, air pollution, water ,uality an! t'e level of to+ins in fis', illustrate only partial "'anges in one !is"rete part of so"iety wit'out bringing to our attention t'e many linkages t'at e+ist between su"' !iverse issues) -'en so"iety, t'e e"onomy an! t'e environment are seen as separate an! unrelate! parts t'ere is a risk t'at t'e problems i!entifie! wit'in ea"' sp'ere also are viewe! in an isolate! manner) Su"' a pie"emeal approa"' 'as several unwante! si!e effe"ts) For e+ample, t'e solution to one problem may make anot'er problem worse) ('us, "reating affor!able 'ousing may be goo!, but w'en t'e new 'ousing is built in areas far from workpla"es, t'e result is in"rease! traffi" an! pollution) * pie"emeal approa"' may also "reate opposing groups) &oreover it ten!s to fo"us on s'ort%term benefits wit'out monitoring long%term effe"ts) For e+ample 6ross Domesti" ro!u"t 16D 2 measures t'e amount of money being spent, t'e 'ig'er t'e 6D t'e

better t'e overall e"onomi" well%being) <owever, 6D only refle"ts t'e amount of e"onomi" a"tivity an! "an rise w'en t'e overall "ommunity 'ealt' is being impaire!) #'ambers et al 120002 'ave argue! t'at t'e ne+t generation of in!i"ator%pro!u"ers most likely will fo"us more spe"ifi"ally on t'e assumptions lying be'in! t'em an! move from being librarians w'o organise information in "ategories into being plumbers w'o fo"us on 'ow t'e !ifferent "ategories are inter"onne"te! an! w'at t'e tra!e%offs among t'em may be) .nstea! of 'aving t'is =one%problem, one%in!i"ator> approa"', SD. s'oul! t'us aim to !evelop a framework t'at tries to bring t'e e"onomi", so"ial an! environmental aspe"ts of so"iety toget'er, emp'asising t'e links between t'em) 3n!erstan!ing t'e t'ree parts an! t'e linkages between t'em is t'us t'e key to !eveloping an! using sustainable in!i"ators) For e+ample, 'ig'ways or ot'er types of infrastru"ture result in more "ommuting an! better regional integration, w'i"' in turn lea!s to a more !ynami" work for"e an! less unemployment, but also to more environmental pollution) *n in!i"ator t'at woul! be able to measure t'e tra!e% offs between infrastru"tural "onstru"tion an! environmental pollution woul! t'us be 'ig'ly interesting from t'e perspe"tive of SD) Sustainable in!i"ators s'oul! t'erefore point to areas w'ere t'e linkages between t'e e"onomy, t'e environment an! so"iety are weakest) ('ey s'oul! also refle"t t'e fa"t t'at t'e e"onomy, so"iety an! t'e environment are tig'tly inter"onne"te!) Figure 2 is one su"' e+ample of 'ow regional SD "oul! be "on"eptualise! as a web of intera"tions between !ifferent aspe"ts of t'e t'ree pillars of SD) ('e natural resour"es, eit'er lo"ally provi!e! or importe! in t'e form of raw materials or energy, provi!e t'e material for pro!u"tion on w'i"' in!ustry an! 4obs !epen!) ('e number of 4obs affe"ts t'e poverty rate, w'ile t'e poverty rate is relate! to "rime) *ir ,uality, water ,uality an! materials use! for pro!u"tion 'ave an effe"t on 'ealt') <ealt' problems, w'et'er !ue to general air ,uality problems su"' as e+posure to to+i" materials, 'ave an effe"t on worker pro!u"tivity an! t'us "ontribute to t'e rising "osts of 'ealt' insuran"es) SD.s t'us re,uire an integrate! view of t'e worl!, in relation to t'e !ifferent aspe"ts of SD as well as in relation to time an! s"ale an! to w'o is involve!)

Investment Capital

Water Quality Air Quality

Educatio n

Health

Materials for Production

Poverty

Natural Resources aabd

Crime Culture Jobs

$igure 2 An e8a$ple o* he in era) ion be !een di**eren aspe) s o* he hree pillars o* "#,

3.1

ethodolo!ies for measurin! sustainable development

*s we 'ave alrea!y note!, t'e !efinition of sustainable !evelopment fun!amentally !epen!s upon in w'i"' "onte+t it is being use!, an! not least by w'o is !efining it) ('e "reation of SD in!i"ators is somet'ing essentially !eli"ate) Nevert'eless, a number of tools an! met'o!ologies 'ave been !esigne! to 'elp gauge progress towar!s SD, but given t'e !isparity of views alrea!y !es"ribe! 'ere t'ere is no te+tbook provi!ing a met'o!ology t'at is generally a""epte! an! appli"able a"ross regions 1&it"'ell, 1//@2) ('e 3N list of in!i"ators arising out of t'e Rio "onferen"e is per'aps t'e most prominent e+ample) .n 1//: t'e 3N #ommission on Sustainable Development 1#SD2 a!opte! a -ork rogramme on in!i"ators an! relate! met'o!ology 13N#SD, 1//@2) :/ in!i"ators an! met'o!ology s'eets are available to!ay) .n t'e E3 system, Eurostat an! t'e European Environment *gen"y 1EE*2 'ave use! t'ese :/ 3N in!i"ators as t'e basis for t'e E3 SD. list of @$ in!i"ators 1Dire"torate%6eneral for t'e Environment, 2000, European #ommission, 20012 1see *nne+ 12) ('ere are also several types of general in!e+es available) Bne e+ample of a general in!e+ is t'e .n!e+ of Sustainable E"onomi" -elfare 1.SE-2) .n or!er to get a more "omplete pi"ture of w'at e"onomi" progress is, t'e .SE- subtra"ts from t'e 6ross Domesti" ro!u"t "onse,uen"es of e"onomi" a"tivity t'at 'ave negative environmental impa"ts an! a!!s to t'e 6D t'e value of signifi"ant a"tivities su"' as unpai! !omesti" labour, w'i"' is base! in t'e average !omesti" pay rate) ('e .SE- a""ounts for air pollution by estimating t'e "ost of !amage per ton of five key air pollutants) .t a""ounts for t'e !epletion of resour"es by estimating t'e "ost to repla"e a barrel of oil wit' t'e same amount of energy from a renewable sour"e) .t estimates t'e "ost of "limate "'ange !ue to green'ouse gas emissions per ton of emissions) ('e "ost of oDone !epletion is also "al"ulate! per ton of t'e oDone !epleting substan"e pro!u"e!) *!!itionally, a!4ustments are ma!e to refle"t "on"erns about une,ual in"ome !istribution) Some 'ealt' e+penses are "onsi!ere! as not "ontributing to welfare, as are some e!u"ational e+penses) .t is a 'ig'ly ambitious in!e+ but as wit' 6D t'e .SEbun!les toget'er a tremen!ous amount of information t'us lea!ing to a la"k of transparen"y)$
3.2 ethodolo!ies for measurin! sustainable re!ional development

Regions are to!ay seen as 'aving an in"reasingly important role in sustainable !evelopment) ('is fo"us is 4ustifie! firstly by t'e important role of regions as interme!iaries between t'e national an! lo"al levels an! se"on!ly by t'e growing "onsensus t'at SD is an essential "riterion wit'in future regional !evelopment 1#lement et al, 200$2) *lt'oug' sustainable regional !evelopment 1SRD2 represents a relatively new fiel!, substantial knowle!ge an! e+pertise in SRD alrea!y e+ists wit'in an emerging bo!y of literature 1E#, 1//0, ENS3RE, 2000, S"'lei"'er%(appeser et al, 1///2) .n parallel wit' t'e E3 a"tivity in t'is fiel!, t'e t'eoreti"al an! pra"ti"al !evelopment of SRD 'as been supporte! by a series of multi!is"iplinary "onferen"es an! international works'ops as well as by t'e "reation of European networks for sustainable regional !evelopment 1#lement et al, 200$2) ('e pro"ess 'as pointe! at t'e !ifferentiate! e+perien"e between "ountries an! regions) .n t'e "ase stu!ies of SRD pro4e"ts referre! to by #lement et al, it 'as been foun! t'at t'e greater
$

See 'ttpAIIwww)york)a")ukIinstIseiIsustainabilityIlively'oo!sIin!e+ for linkages to !ifferent types of in!i"ator systems an! in!e+es relate! to t'e t'ree pillars of sustainable !evelopment)

10

"ommonalities "orrespon! to t'e !iffi"ulties en"ountere!, w'ereas t'e more positive "'ara"teristi"s are !ifferentiate! between pro4e"ts) Bne ma4or "ommon !iffi"ulty was t'e time an! energy spent on persua!ing ot'ers of t'e value of su"' an SD approa"' as well as on agreeing upon a "ommon un!erstan!ing of SRD) Despite t'e !iffi"ulties e+perien"e! in "oming to a "ommon un!erstan!ing of SRD in t'e numerous "ase stu!ies un!ertaken, t'e integration of SD into t'e evaluation "riteria of !evelopment pro4e"ts fun!e! by t'e Stru"tural Fun!s 'as been a big step towar!s attaining a "ommunal met'o!ology) ('e key !o"ument attempting to rationalise SRD is t'e E3 ('emati" Evaluation on t'e #ontribution of t'e E3 Stru"tural Fun!s to Sustainable Development 1E#, 20022) ('is report provi!es tools an! met'o!ologies to assist regions, &ember States an! t'e E3 in assessing t'e sustainability of !evelopment plans an! en'an"ing t'e sustainability of Stru"tural Fun!s programmes in t'e 2000%200@ perio!) .t is also inten!e! to a"t as a gui!e in t'e preparation of Stru"tural Fun!s poli"ies beyon! 200@) *s we !is"usse! in se"tion two, t'e "on"eptualisation of SD as t'ree pillars 1t'e e"onomy, so"iety an! t'e environment2 "an be translate! into four types of "apital) ('e E3 system uses Gt'e four "apital approa"'5 to !evelop a !is"ussion on t'e tra!e%offs between t'em) ('e report "ontains a sustainability assessment matri+ spe"ifying "riteria against w'i"' to evaluate poli"ies, programmes or pro4e"ts) Finally, a pro4e"t pipeline "'e"klist provi!es ,uestions for programme managers an! monitoring "ommittees !esigne! to generate pro4e"ts t'at "ontribute more effi"iently to SD)

"ccountin! for #the $h%&' #$ho& and #ho$&

Bne important risk wit' using in!i"ators is t'at people easily lose sig't of t'e ultimate goal 1i)e) =-'ere !o we want to be; Br go;>2 an! instea! be"ome o""upie! wit' w'at t'ey want to measure an! 'ow) ('is means t'at t'e routine measurement of in!i"ators mig't be relegate! to a !ata "olle"tion bran"' of an agen"y t'at generates tables of numbers t'at no one en!s up using 1Rigby et al 20002) Evaluations of SD. pro4e"ts 'ave s'own t'at parti"ipants are often more intereste! in taking part in an e+er"ise to !efine SD.s t'an preparing t'e goals an! targets of a strategi" plan t'at is legally bin!ing 18rugman 1//?2) .t is t'erefore "ru"ial to "reate an infrastru"ture aroun! t'e in!i"ators) ('ere are several reasons for t'is) First of all it is easier to "olle"t !ata t'an to use t'e !ata in su"' a way t'at it may pre"ipitate "'ange) &oreover, t'e link between in!i"ators an! poli"y "'ange is not obvious an! several fa"tors influen"e t'is link negatively su"' as t'e la"k of involvement from !e"ision%makers in t'e initial setting of in!i"ators, or a la"k of !esire among t'e more te"'ni"ally%oriente! SD resear"'ers to fully engage wit' t'e so"io%politi"al !omain in w'i"' !e"ision%making operates 1#lement, 20012) &oreover in t'e "reation of a set of in!i"ators one result may be t'e "reation of "onfli"ting !eman!s on t'e institutional stru"tures, w'i"' may be !iffi"ult to 'an!le) For e+ample national SD goals may be in "onfli"t wit' lo"al or regional goals) Even t'oug' an SD. pro4e"t is able to "ome up wit' a set of in!i"ators t'at will satisfy many of t'e "riteria an! ,uestions liste! in t'e "oming se"tion 1se"tion :2, t'is !oes not imply t'at t'ese in!i"ators will lea! to t'e !esire! goal) ('e reason for t'is is t'at in!i"ators "an never be t'e goal per se but may, if use! in a stru"ture, serve as a tool to gauge a pro"ess of sustainable !evelopment) * "entral part in "reating t'e ne"essary infrastru"ture is to a""ount for he !hy, !ho an! ho!, w'ere =t'e w'y> "on"erns t'e purpose of t'e SD. pro4e"t an! =t'e w'o> "on"erns w'o is going to be involve! in an! use t'e in!i"ators) =('e 'ow> is relate! to 'ow t'e in!i"ator is !esigne!) 8elow t'ese t'ree ,uestions will be a!!resse!) 11

(.1 The why

.n!i"ators for SD are useful for !ifferent reasons in !ifferent pla"es) For a 'ealt'y, vibrant "ommunity, in!i"ators may 'elp ensure t'at negative tren!s are 'alte! an! !ealt wit' before t'ey be"ome a severe problem) For "ommunities wit' e"onomi", so"ial, or environmental problems, in!i"ators "an point t'e way to a better future) .n all "ommunities or regions, in!i"ators "an generate !is"ussion among !ifferent people an! stake'ol!ers an! 'elp in a pro"ess of !efining a s'are! vision of t'e future of t'e "ommunity) .n!i"ators "an be use! for !ifferent purposesC t'ree "ategories relevant for t'e regional level "an be i!entifie! 1#lement, 2001 an! E#, 20022) 12 SD.s "an be use! to evaluate t'e SD of a region) ('e aim is to better un!erstan! t'e !evelopment pro"ess, an! in parti"ular t'e intera"tion between !ifferent !imensions of SD as well as following up on performan"e in relation to pre!efine! targets) ('e baseline situation in t'e region 'as to be !es"ribe! ,uantitatively, an! t'ese in!i"ators will later be instrumental for an e8-pos evaluation of t'e impa"t of t'e SD programme) 22 SD.s "an be use! as a 'elp in !e"i!ing w'i"' spe"ifi" regional !evelopment pro4e"ts 'ave t'e most potential to promote SD as well as supporting t'e evaluation of t'ose pro4e"ts fun!e!) .n t'e same way, in!i"ators "oul! serve as a tool for evaluating programmes su"' as t'e Stru"tural Fun!s) .!eally, a list of in!i"ators t'at are meaningful for pro4e"t managers s'oul! be sele"te! for t'e purpose of reporting) Evaluators will t'en use t'ese in!i"ators in t'eir assessment of t'e !egree of fulfilment of t'e goals of t'e programme) $2 SD.s may also be use! in or!er to attra"t attention to "ertain "on!itions or tren!s an! in or!er to !ire"tly influen"e t'e be'aviour of people) ('ese t'ree purposes are not mutually e+"lusive, t'oug' many in!i"ator initiatives 'ave mainly one of t'ese in fo"us) ('e "'osen purpose !etermines t'e nee! for resour"es as well as t'e !esign an! presentation of t'e in!i"ators) .n t'is paper we are "on"erne! wit' in!i"ators for t'e !evelopment of t'e region, i)e) t'e first "ategory mentione! above)
(.2 The who

(o be able to !efine an effi"ient in!i"ator system it is also essential to a!!ress not only t'e purpose of t'e in!i"ator but also t'e ,uestion of to w'om t'e in!i"ator will be "ommuni"ate!) .s it e+perts, t'e general publi", s"'ool "'il!ren, t'e private se"tor, t'e me!ia or a more spe"ifi" target group; *s to t'e use of SD.s in evaluating pro4e"ts finan"e! by t'e Stru"tural Fun!s, it is t'e &onitoring #ommittee t'at !e"i!es upon t'e in!i"ators 1E#, 20022)
(.3 The how

(o answer t'e ,uestion of 'ow to !esign an! use an in!i"ator it is "ru"ial to first a!!ress =t'e w'y> an! =t'e w'o>) 8elow, t'ree aspe"ts of =t'e 'ow> will be !is"usse!) ('e first relates to 'ow to !efine w'at an in!i"ator s'oul! measure, t'e se"on! relates to !ata "olle"tion an! t'e t'ir! to t'e a"tual "ommuni"ation of in!i"ators) ('e work wit' SD. in sustainable regional !evelopment is an ongoing pro4e"t an! even t'oug' some general pra"ti"al gui!elines 'ave been !efine! for SRD 1E#, 20022, =t'e 'ow>%,uestion is still very relevant to pose as t'e attempt to operationalise t'ese gui!elines 'as 4ust begun) 'hat should an indicator measure(

12

(wo !ifferent approa"'es may be !is"erne! 'ere) .n t'e first approa"' t'e in!i"ator measures t'e "loseness to a !efine! target, wit' t'e aim to get t'e in!i"ator to e,ual t'e target) .n t'e se"on! approa"' a !ire"tion for t'e in!i"ator is !efine!, wit' t'e aim to get all or some of t'e in!i"ators to move in t'e !esire! !ire"tion) ('e first, i)e) using a !efine! target, is t'e most "ommonly use! approa"' 1&it"'ell et al, 1//:, (s"'irley 1//? an! -oo!'ouse 20002) ('is approa"' allows !e"ision%makers to assess t'e gap or !istan"e between t'e a"tual state an! t'e !esire! referen"e "on!ition) ('is !esire! referen"e "on!ition "oul! eit'er be base! on 'istori"al "on!itions, s"ientifi" !ata or for e+ample t'e viewpoints of stake'ol!ers) -'at level of !eviation from t'e referen"e "on!ition t'at s'oul! be "onsi!ere! a""eptable "oul! vary from Dero to all sorts of "ompromises arising out of an essentially politi"al pro"ess) .n t'e se"on! approa"', status is presente! in relative terms) .n t'is "ase, t'e motivation for "'ange is to perform better over time or to perform better relative to ot'er regions) ('ese two approa"'es to w'at an in!i"ator s'oul! measure are "losely linke! to so%"alle! "on"eptual frameworks for SD.) 18ell an! &orse 200$2) Su"' frameworks fa"ilitate t'e transformation of !ata into relevant information as t'ey !efine w'at an in!i"ator s'oul! measure an! w'at t'e basis of t'e measurement s'oul! be) ('e most "ommonly use! framework is t'e so%"alle! driving *or)e-pressure-s a e $odel 0#="7, #riving *or)es are t'e !eman! for foo!, water an! revenue, un!erstoo! as t'e "auses of a "ertain effe"t) =ressure is un!erstoo! as 'uman a"tivities !esigne! to alter t'ese !riving for"es) ('e s a e is t'e result or t'e !ifferen"e between t'ese !riving for"es an! pressures) ('is approa"' provi!es in!i"ators t'at mainly target poli"y%makers or !e"ision%makers) 8ot' t'e European 3nion 1Eurostat an! EE*2 an! t'e 3nite! Nations apply t'is framework as a basis for sele"ting t'eir in!i"ators on SD 1European #ommission, 2001 an! 3N#SD, 1//@2) Even t'oug' t'is approa"' is "on"eptually "onvenient an! in!ee! popular, it !oes 'owever e+'ibit a number of problems) Bne problem is t'at it refle"ts a sort of politi"al en!%of%pipe t'inking t'at militates against more proa"tive responses en"ouraging s'ort%term "urative poli"ies) &oreover, it 'as !iffi"ulty in "apturing multiple "ausality an! t'e intera"tions e+isting between in!i"ators 18ell an! &orse, 2000$2) *not'er type of framework is t'e basi) sa is*a) ion framework) ('is framework rests on an analysis of w'at is !eeme! to be a basi" ne"essity for SD as !es"ribe! by 8ossel 11///2) .n!i"ators are sele"te! on t'e basis of t'eir ability to a!!ress a set of ,uestions "overing !ifferent aspe"ts of sustainable !evelopment su"' as e+isten"e, effe"tiveness, se"urity, a!aptability an! "oe+isten"e) ('e ma4or problem wit' t'is framework is its apparent sub4e"tivity an! t'e fa"t t'at t'ere is no imme!iate link between t'e in!i"ator an! t'e a"tion) * version of t'is type of framework is use! instea! of "omparing ea"' in!i"ator to some kin! of general "riteria in or!er to relate t'em to a !efine! set of goals 1&eter, 1///2) Su"' a matri+ fo"uses on w'et'er t'e in!i"ators are linke! to t'e issues t'at are important to a "ommunity or region) ('is type of matri+ is useful for s'owing w'et'er t'e in!i"ator measures t'e goals of SD t'at are a"tually important for a parti"ular "ommunity) ('e ma4or !iffi"ulty wit' t'is system is t'at it makes "omparisons between !ifferent "ommunities !iffi"ult) Jet anot'er e+ample of 'ow in!i"ators "an be organise! into a system is to make "lear w'at "an be !one wit'in t'e "urrent time perio! an! w'at s'oul! be left for future a"tion) Su"' a framework 'ig'lig'ts t'e longer%term aspe"ts of sustainability) SD "oul! in su"' a system be seen in terms of available "apital 1natural, 'uman, so"ial, p'ysi"al an! finan"ial2 an! in a vulnerability "onte+t 1tren!s, s'o"ks an! stresses2 in w'i"' t'ese assets e+ist 1-oo!'ouse et

1$

al, 20002) ('e ma4or problem wit' t'is framework is t'e !iffi"ulty in evaluating bot' t'e available an! future "apital) Data collection

Bne !iffi"ulty wit' !eveloping in!i"ators for SD is t'at some of t'e nee!e! !ata 'as not been "olle"te! previously) ('is 'as le! many SD. pro4e"ts into "'oosing tra!itional !ata sour"es an! measures as a basis for SD in!i"ators) ('ere are at least two a!vantages wit' using tra!itional sour"es) Firstly, t'e !ata is rea!ily available an! "an be use! for "omparisons) Se"on!ly, tra!itional in!i"ators "an be "ombine! to "reate sustainability in!i"ators) <owever, t'ere is a !anger t'at tra!itional !ata sour"es an! tra!itional in!i"ators will lea! to t'e same solutions t'at "reate! an unsustainable "ommunity in t'e first pla"e) .t may for e+ample be tempting to keep measuring t'e number of 4obs, w'ile measuring t'e number of 4obs t'at pay a liveable wage will lea! to more sustainable solutions) *s an important step in t'e !evelopment of a system of SD. it is t'us "ru"ial to fin! out w'at !ata e+ists for t'e spe"ifi" geograp'i"al level an! w'at s'oul! be !one w'en !ata is missing) *s all !ata management is "ostly it is "ru"ial to "onsi!er w'et'er t'e benefits from !ata "olle"tion an! pro"essing e+"ee! t'e "osts) <owever, t'is mig't be !iffi"ult to assess sin"e t'e "osts of !ata "olle"tion an! pro"essing are more easily !etermine! "ompare! to t'e benefits of t'e in!i"ators) Nevert'eless, t'e !evelopment of SD.s "oul! be seen as a pro"ess, w'ere new !ata is "onstantly "olle"te!, w'ile in t'e meantime, ol! !ata may be use! an! if possible, in new ways) )ommunication

=('e 'ow>%,uestion relates to t'e initial purpose of t'e in!i"ators, are t'ey for e+ample "reate! wit' t'e intention of being a tool for poli"y%makers aiming to improve t'e poli"y pro"ess, are t'ey to serve as a way of s'aring approa"'es between !ifferent stake'ol!ers as suggeste! by Eline 120002, or are t'ey to be use! as an evaluation tool of a pro4e"t; ('e "ommuni"ation of SD. to en!%users may take a number of formsA internet, printe! mass me!ia, television, ra!io, leaflets, te"'ni"al reports, "onferen"es an! works'ops) Depen!ing on w'o t'e en!%users are, bot' t'e form an! means of presentation will most likely !iffer) .t may for e+ample be su"' t'at in or!er to be useful or un!erstan!able to !ifferent stake'ol!ers in!i"ators 'ave to be translate! into new forms, su"' as finan"ial "ost%benefit analysis, or aggregate!, before t'ey are "ommuni"ate!) Brganising t'e in!i"ators "an 'elp to evaluate t'e effe"tiveness of t'e entire set of in!i"ators) .n!i"ators "an be presente! in many !ifferent ways, as numbers or translate! into visual forms) Bne of t'e simplest ways is to make a list base! on t'e main fo"us of ea"' in!i"ator) ('is way of organising in!i"ators in a report is "'eap an! easily un!erstoo! by many people) * more "ompli"ate! but in"reasingly popular way of presenting t'e information is to present t'e value of in!i"ators on a map format, wit' a geograp'i"al information system 16.S2) -it' 6.S t'e values of t'e in!i"ators "an be overlai! on a map an! relate! to a range of ot'er variables) ('is may also be allie! wit' t'e use of "omputer%base!%mo!els to generate t'e pre!i"te! values of in!i"ators on various poli"y s"enarios su"' as in t'e 3E sustainability atlas 19in!ley, 20012) *s su"', it provi!es possibilities for e+ploring !ifferent options for t'e future, w'i"' is an important "on"ern for SD) Developing a set of in!i"ators for a sustainable "ommunity or region re,uires t'e balan"ing of many !ifferent nee!s wit'in t'e "ommunity) &ost in!i"ator pro4e"ts start up wit' a brainstorming session mapping out t'e most important issues for SD) * brainstorming session

14

mig't pro!u"e 'un!re!s of in!i"ators an! !e"i!ing w'i"' to keep "an t'us be !iffi"ult) ('e suggeste! number of in!i"ators varies a great !eal !epen!ing on w'i"' geograp'i"al level t'e target of t'ese in!i"ators are aime! at) .n t'e literature, t'e figure of 20 in!i"ators often appears as a "ompromise between manageability an! !ept' of information, 'owever often t'ere is little real e+planation as to w'y t'is figure s'oul! be favoure! over ot'ers) *s mentione! previously, t'e 3N system uses :/ "ore SD. an! E3 @$ 1see *nne+ 12) *not'er "entral issue relate! to t'e "ommuni"ation of in!i"ators "on"erns t'e !e"ision w'et'er to aggregate in!i"ators into a single in!e+ or to keep t'em separate, i)e) to fin! a goo! balan"e of simpli"ity an! "omple+ity) ('ere are many options between t'ese two e+tremes, an! all manners of in!i"ator !iagrams 'ave been suggeste! as ways of presenting t'e information to users) Bne solution is to t'us keep t'e in!i"ators entirely separate, but liste! an! presente! toget'er wit'in a single table or !iagram 1visual integration2) Kisual integration is basi"ally a means by w'i"' in!ivi!ual an! often ,uite !ifferent in!i"ators "an be presente! toget'er to provi!e a "ompre'ensive pi"ture of SD) *t t'e ot'er en! of t'e spe"trum, is t'e strategy to aggregate t'e !ifferent in!i"ators into a single in!e+ of SD 1numeri"al integration2) ('is type of organisation is seen as parti"ularly important in terms of presenting t'e information to t'e publi" an! !e"ision%makers w'o, it is assume!, !o not nee! to be aware of t'e !etails, but only t'e broa! message as to w'at is a"tually 'appening) Numerous writers an! pra"titioners 'ave !is"usse! t'e a!vantages or !rawba"ks of integrating a suite of in!i"ators into a single in!e+ 16allopin, 1//?, Stirling, 1/// an! &orse et al, 20012) * fun!amental risk wit' a single in!e+ is t'e la"k of transparen"y it entails at t'e "ommuni"ation level)

What constitutes a !ood indicator for sustainable development?

('e term in!i"ator 'as a "ertain te"'ni"al feel to it) .t invokes numbers an! statisti"s t'at are mainly use! an! un!erstoo! by spe"ialists an! te"'no"rats) .t is "ertainly true t'at for SD in!i"ators t'ere 'as been, an! still is, an emp'asis on sele"ting in!i"ators !eeme! to be relevant largely by applying a list of in!i"ator rules !efine! by te"'ni"ians 18ossel, 1///, 8ell an! &orse, 200$2) Su"' lists of te"'ni"al "riteria are "ommon in t'e SD literature an! t'ey stress for e+ample t'at an in!i"ator s'oul! beA Specific* .n!i"ators must relate to t'e !esire! out"ome, i)e) fit t'e purpose for measuring) Measurable* .n!i"ators s'oul! preferably be open to measurement in a ,uantitative manner) +edagogical* .n!i"ators s'oul! be pra"ti"al an! !esigne! for t'ose w'o are going to use t'em) Sensitive* .n!i"ators must rea!ily "'ange as "ir"umstan"es "'ange) ,eliable* ('e information t'at an in!i"ator is provi!ing must be reliable) Data upon w'i"' t'e in!i"ator is base! must t'erefore be "olle"te! using a systemati" met'o!) -ased on accessible data* .n or!er to "reate goo! in!i"ators it is important t'at t'e ne"essary information is available or "an be gat'ere! on a regular basis an! w'ile t'ere is still time to a"t)

1:

)ost.effective* ('e "ost of a""umulating ne"essary !ata s'oul! not e+"ee! t'e benefits of using t'e in!i"ator) ,elevant and /sable* .n!i"ators s'oul! s'ow w'at is nee!e! to know) ('is in"lu!es t'e nee! for a "lear !efinition of t'e ob4e"tive t'at t'e in!i"ators are meant to a"'ieve) .t also means t'at it is important to fo"us on t'ose issues t'at a region, or a regional !evelopment pro4e"t, "an "ontrol or influen"e, or t'at is of spe"ifi" importan"e to t'e pro4e"t)

(aking into "onsi!eration previous !is"ussions on SD, t'e te"'ni"al an! rat'er !ry "riteria above are "learly not suffi"ient to evaluate w'et'er an in!i"ator is a goo! SD in!i"ator or not) Bt'er "riteria more "losely relate! to t'e essen"e of SD must be use! as a "omplement) Su"' "riteria "oul! for e+ample be to ,uestion to w'at e+tent an in!i"ator takes into a""ount t'e linkages between t'e !ifferent "apitals of sustainable !evelopment; 1See se"tion 2)2 (o w'at e+tent an in!i"ator is sensitive to stake'ol!er parti"ipation in t'e SRD pro"ess; Br to w'at e+tent it a""ommo!ates responsibility a"ross geograp'i"al areas an! time s"ales; *s SD is a rat'er "omple+ matter, t'e following se"tion will present a list of 12 ,uestions as a tool to promote =SD%type t'inking> an! 'elp to in"lu!e as many aspe"ts of SD as possible 1a!apte! from <art 1///, 8ell an! &orse 200$ an! 8ell L &orse 1///2) * goo! in!i"ator !oes not mean t'at it is possible to answer a !efinitive =yes> to all ,uestions but in t'e !aily life of a programme for regional !evelopment, t'e main task woul! be to i!entify pro4e"ts t'at, in total, "an "ontribute to all t'ree pillars 1an! four "apitals2 F an! "an in parti"ular, avoi! granting fun!s to pro4e"ts t'at are benefi"ial for only one or two aspe"ts w'ile effe"tively "ontra!i"ting t'e ot'ers) ('e same is true for t'e use of SD. at any geograp'i"al level, as well as for small an! large !evelopment pro4e"ts) .t is 'owever "ru"ial to take into "onsi!eration t'e fa"t t'at ea"' pro4e"t is uni,ue an! t'erefore su"' e+amples s'oul! only be seen as t'at, i)e) as e8a$ples o* a !ay o* hinking, 1, #oes he indi)a or address he !ise long- er$ use o* na ural resour)es > rene!able and non-rene!able, lo)al or *ro$ dis an sour)es > !hi)h he region relies on? .t is important to "'e"k if t'e in!i"ators take into "onsi!eration a wise long%term use of t'e e"osystems or natural resour"es upon w'i"' t'e region is !epen!ent) Bne region may !epen! on forestry for resour"es an! 4obs) *n in!i"ator t'at measures t'e rate of timber 'arvest relative to t'e renewable 'arvest rate woul! "onse,uently be relevant) .n a region t'at relies on metals for its main in!ustries, an in!i"ator of t'e "y"li"al use of its non%renewable resour"es woul! t'us be appropriate, for e+ample t'e per"entage of energy%use t'at is renewable) *not'er e+ample "oul! be a region !epen!ent on fis'ery, w'ere an appropriate in!i"ator "oul! be measuring t'e 'arvest relatively, i)e) t'e renewable 'arvest or t'e fis' "at"'es by sele"te! overe+ploite! spe"ies) .n a region w'ere farming is t'e !ominant e"onomi" se"tor it is relevant to measure t'e per"entage of agri"ultural lan! t'at is sustainably manage!) *not'er e+ample "oul! be an in!i"ator t'at takes into "onsi!eration t'e level of nitrogen in !rinking water, or t'e level of eutrop'i"ation in lakes, rivers or t'e sea, !epen!ing on w'ere a region is geograp'i"ally situate!) 9, #oes he indi)a or address he !ise use o* aes he i) @uali ies > he beau y and li*e-a**ir$ing @uali ies o* he na ural and )ul ural environ$en > ha are i$por an o he region?

1@

('is ,uestion a!!resses t'e wise use of t'e aest'eti" ,ualities of a region) For a "oastal "ommunity t'at relies on tourism for part of its e"onomy an e+ample of su"' an in!i"ator "oul! be measures of t'e number of tourists t'at "an be serve! by t'e area wit'out !amaging its natural beauty) *not'er e+ample "oul! be t'e area of green spa"e per person in t'e region) *est'eti" ,ualities also in"lu!e t'e "ultural environment, buil!ings, monuments an! t'e =man%ma!e nature> 1see also ,uestion @2) 6, #oes he indi)a or address he use o* he region.s hu$an )api al > he skills, abili ies, heal h and edu)a ion > o* he people in he region? ('is ,uestion a!!resses t'e importan"e of evaluating t'e use of a region5s 'uman "apital, t'e skills, abilities, 'ealt' an! e!u"ation of its people) .n!i"ators t'at measure population !evelopment an! migration rates are but two e+amples) Bt'er e+amples "oul! be rates of gra!uation form se"on!ary e!u"ation or e!u"ational !ropout, or t'e Gawareness5 of environmental problems) 5, #oes he indi)a or address he use o* a region.s so)ial )api al > he )onne) ion be !een people, he rela ionships o* *riends, *a$ilies, neighbourhoods, so)ial groups, business, govern$en s and heir abili y o )oopera e, !ork oge her and in era) in posi ive and $eaning*ul !ays? ('is ,uestions !raws attention to t'e importan"e of evaluating a "ommunity5s so"ial "apital) Bne way to !o t'is is to measure t'e ability of t'e "ommunity to work toget'er) E+amples of in!i"ators are t'e voting rate, t'e amount of volunteerism, or t'e number of publi"%private partners'ips in t'e region) A, #oes he indi)a or address he !ise use o* a region.s $anu*a) ured )api al > he hu$an $ade $a erials 0buildings, parks, )o$$uni)a ion in*ras ru) ure, and in*or$a ion7 ha are needed *or @uali y o* li*e and he region.s abili y o $ain ain and enhan)e hose $a erials !i h e8is ing resour)es? ('e manufa"ture! "apital is a pro!u"t of natural "apital an! so"ial "apital, be"ause raw materials "ome from somew'ere, an! 'uman skills, abilities an! "ooperation are nee!e! to pro!u"e manufa"ture! ob4e"ts) E+amples of in!i"ators taking into "onsi!eration a region5s manufa"ture! "apital "oul! be t'e amount of money spent on publi" transport or on waste management 1parti"ularly important after t'e E3 !ire"tive banning 'ouse'ol! waste !eposition2) *n in!i"ator "oul! also take into "onsi!eration several SD "apitals simultaneously) For e+ample an in!i"ator measuring t'e number of new 'ousing units t'at use sustainably pro!u"e! buil!ing materials t'at are affor!able wit' an average family in"ome take into "onsi!eration t'e natural, manufa"ture! an! so"ial "apitals at t'e same time) B, #oes he indi)a or provide a long- er$ vie! o* he region? ('is ,uestion aims to !raw t'e fo"us onto t'e long%term view of t'e region) Bne way to test w'et'er an in!i"ator provi!es a long%term view is to "onsi!er w'at t'e in!i"ator tren! woul!

1?

s'ow after 20 years, an! w'et'er t'at woul! be "onsistent wit', or relevant to, a sustainable region) <owever, a time perspe"tive of 20 years is often !iffi"ult as for e+ample regional programmes generally only last for 4%? years) <owever, t'e long%term view is important w'en !efining in!i"ators) *!opting a time perspe"tive w'en evaluating t'e natural resour"e use an! t'e e"osystem servi"es "oul! be one way to in"orporate t'is aspe"t into an SD.) 4, #oes he indi)a or address he issue o* e)ono$i), so)ial or biologi)al diversi y in he region? .t is believe! t'at an e"onomi", so"ial or environmental system t'at is !iverse usually wit'stan!s stress better t'an a 'omogenous system) * "ommunity t'at relies mainly on a single type of in!ustry is t'erefore seen to be less stable an! less sustainable "ompare! to one w'ose e"onomy is !iversifie!) * mono"ulture forest is less able to wit'stan! !iseases an! environmental stress t'an a forest t'at 'as !iverse types of trees an! plants) .t is important to note t'at t'e terms e"onomi" !iversity, so"ial !iversity, "ultural !iversity an! biologi"al !iversity s'oul! not be interprete! as an in!i"ator of sustainable !evelopment) ('ey are issues, areas or "ategories for w'i"' in!i"ators "an be !evelope!, but t'ey are not in!i"ators) E+amples of in!i"ators of !iversity in"lu!e t'e number of !ifferent in!ustries in t'e "ommunity, t'e number of 4obs at !ifferent wage levels, an! t'e number of bir!s in t'e annual bir! "ount) 3, #oes he indi)a or address he issue o* e@ui y or *airness > ei her be !een )urren residen s o* he region 0in ragenera ional e@ui y7 or be !een )urren and *u ure residen s 0in er-genera ional e@ui y7? ('is ,uestion a!!resses t'e issue of e,uity) .n!i"ators measuring eit'er intra%generational e,uity 1e,uity among people living now2 or inter%generational e,uity 1e,uity between to!ay5s generation an! future generations2 are relevant 'ere) Bne measure of intra%generational e,uity is t'e !ifferen"e in in"ome of t'e 20 M of t'e population at t'e top of t'e in"ome s"ale an! t'e 20 M of t'e population at t'e bottom of t'e s"ale) * measure of inter%generational e,uity is t'e utilisation of lan! or key natural resour"es an! t'e possibilities for future generations to 'ave a""ess to t'ese resour"es) 2, #oes he indi)a or $easure a link be !een he di$ensions o* "# 0e)ono$y, so)ie y and environ$en 7 in a region? ('is ,uestion a!!resses t'e e+tent to w'i"' t'e linkages between a "ommunity5s e"onomy, environment an! so"iety are taken into "onsi!eration w'en "reating a set of SD.) ('is is a t'eme t'at is relevant for all ,uestions an! s'oul! not only be taken into a""ount in a spe"ial set of in!i"ators) Bne e+ample of an in!i"ator t'at links e"onomi" an! so"ial aspe"ts woul! be t'e number of 4obs paying a living wage) *n e+ample of an in!i"ator t'at links t'e e"onomy an! t'e environment is t'e number of tourists t'at "an "ome to a region wit'out t'e lo"al environment being negatively impa"te!) Su"' an in!i"ator "oul! be t'e number of people t'at t'e water treatment plants "an 'an!le) &oreover, t'e per"entage of 'ouse'ol!s using "rops t'at !o not re,uire maintenan"e in t'e form of fertilisers an! pesti"i!es is an in!i"ator t'at links t'e

10

environment wit' so"ial be'aviour) &easuring "ar !ensity at rus' 'ours woul! be anot'er in!i"ator t'at links environmental an! so"ial aspe"ts) 1C, #oes he indi)a or $easure develop$en ha akes pla)e a he e8pense o* ano her region or )o$$uni y or a he e8pense o* global sus ainabili y? *ny !evelopment t'at in!i"ates t'at we are going to be better off by making someone else worse off is not sustainable) ('is !oes not mean t'at one region "annot be better t'an anot'er) *n alrea!y establis'e! type of in!i"ator t'at fo"uses in parti"ular on "omparing sustainability between !ifferent areas is t'e e"ologi"al footprint 1EF2) *n EF !es"ribes a spatial unit 1e)g) "ommunity, region or "ountry2 in relation to its impa"t in terms of t'e lan! area re,uire! to support it) ('is is !istin"t from t'e p'ysi"al footprint, t'e p'ysi"al lan! area o""upie! by t'e spatial unit) ('e EF is usually e+presse! ,uantitatively as a plot of lan! area re,uire! to maintain t'e unit) ('e larger t'e EF t'e greater t'e resour"es re,uire! to maintain t'e unit5s e+isten"e 18ell an! &orse, 200$, -a"kernagel an! Rees 1//@, -a"kernagel et al, 1///, #'ambers et al, 20002) ('e EF "an be a simple an! visually striking !evi"e to s'ow ine,uality between geograp'i"al areas at !ifferent s"ales) ('ere are 'owever several problems wit' using EF as a measure for SD) .t is for e+ample possible to interpret EF in terms of "ompetitive abilityC t'ose wit' large footprints "an be seen as more "ompetitive an! 'en"e su""essful 18ell an! &orse, 200$2) Despite t'ese !rawba"ks an EF is a striking in!i"ation as to w'et'er one regions5 wealt' e+ists at t'e e+pense of anot'er region, or of global sustainability) EF ensures t'at t'e boun!ary of a system is wi!ene! beyon! t'e p'ysi"al limit of a spatial unit, w'ile also allowing a !is"ussion about global sustainability to take pla"e in terms of spatial units t'at people "an rea!ily engage in 19ewan, 20022) 11, #oes he )rea ion and use o* he indi)a ors in)lude involve$en o* he s akeholders in he region? ('e parti"ipation of stake'ol!ers is one important aspe"t of sustainable !evelopment) .n "ase stu!ies on SRD it 'as been s'own t'at t'e most su""essful pro4e"ts were t'ose w'ere t'e a"tors on t'e lo"al level was involve! form t'e outset, w'ile Gtop%!own5 approa"'es were seen as generally being less su""essful 1#lement, 20012) arti"ipation "oul! entail many t'ings, ranging form an a"tive involvement in t'e "reation pro"ess to a more passive a""eptan"e) ('e SD literature is full of "ase stu!ies an! met'o!s of 'ow to engage stake'ol!ers, w'i"' for e+ample "an take form in fo"us groups, "itiDens 4uries, stu!y "ir"les, "ommunity "onventions, "onsensus "onferen"es, an! planning "ells to name a few 18ell an! &orse, 200$2) .n"lu!ing t'is ,uestion in t'e "'e"klist may serve as a s'ow%stopper as it is "ru"ial for every SD. pro4e"t to "onsi!er, before starting an! w'ile working, w'o is going to parti"ipate in t'is pro"ess an! w'at s'oul! be t'eir roles) 19, Are he indi)a ors *or$ula ed in a *or$ ha is proa) ive? Sustainable !evelopment in"lu!es t'e i!ea of !evelopment, i)e) "'ange) .t is "onse,uently important t'at t'e in!i"ators serve as a warning wit' regar! to un!esirable tren!s an! "'anges rat'er t'an plainly measuring an e+isting state) Several stu!ies 'ave s'own t'at SD.s are often not !esigne! well enoug' to promote "'ange 1*stleit'ner, 200$2)

1/

The use of SDI from a re!ional perspective

*s t'e impa"ts of global "ommitments to operationalise sustainable !evelopment be"ome more tangible it is apparent t'at SD 'as be"ome a permanent feature of governmental a"tion an! intera"tion) .n t'e European "onte+t, t'e re"ent E3 t'emati" =Evaluation on t'e #ontribution of t'e Stru"tural Fun!s to Sustainable Development> 120022 represents a signifi"ant step in t'e maturing of SRD) -it' t'is E3 gui!an"e available to !ire"t regional programme !esign an! evaluation, t'ere is now t'e e+pe"tation t'at SRD will be "onsi!ere! in poli"y formulation, an! t'at it will feature in"reasingly in poli"y appraisal) .n t'e "onte+t of regional !evelopment, sustainable !evelopment in!i"ators are use! for two main purposesA To monitor the development of the region. (arget groups are regional planners, state an! regional aut'orities, businesses, N6Bs an! t'e general publi") European poli"ies, an! t'e regulations gui!ing t'e use of Stru"tural Fun!s in parti"ular, 'ave provi!e! in"entives for assessing regional !evelopment pat's) ('e prin"iples of Sustainable !evelopment s'oul! now be in"lu!e! in t'e regional analysis t'at pre"e!es t'e implementation of a programme) $or pro0ect selection and monitoring of regional programmes. rogramme implementation 'as a number of formal obligations to follow, an! one of t'em is to use transparent in!i"ators for t'e sele"tion of pro4e"ts as well as for t'e monitoring of t'eir progress) ('e main target groups for t'ese in!i"ators are t'erefore pro4e"t managers, programme managers an! monitoring "ommittees) Sustainability assessments of pro4e"ts give e+"ellent opportunities for learning an! for improve! assessments of "osts an! benefits relate! to t'e pro4e"ts or measures)

(o link t'ese two levels of in!i"ators is !iffi"ult) .!eally, programme level in!i"ators an! in!i"ators on t'e !evelopment of t'e region in ,uestion s'oul! be t'e same, or at least be linke! in a way t'at make it possible to aggregate t'e overall results from t'e results !elivere! by t'e pro4e"ts supporte!) ('is is 'owever only rarely t'e "ase, sin"e t'e !ata sour"es as well as t'e rationales often will be !ifferent at t'e two levels) *not'er "'allenge is to !es"ribe an! measure inter%linkages between in!i"ators at t'e regional levelA !o we 'ave a situation w'ere an improvement of one in!i"ator implies negative results on anot'er; Br are we able to i!entify pro4e"ts t'at 'ave positive impa"ts on all !imensions of sustainable regional !evelopment at t'e same time; ('e lists of in!i"ators provi!e! in *nne+ 1 are not very 'elpful in t'is respe"t, espe"ially as t'e issues an! "'allenges will be !ifferent in ea"' region) -'en a region is t'e fo"us, t'e use of in!i"ators t'at in!i"ate problems t'at t'e region "annot influen"e are not very useful, as t'e SD. must be linke! to t'e possibility of "'ange) * ma4or problem of using in!i"ators is t'e la"k of !ata, as !ata "olle"tion is mainly !one at t'e national level) (o a!apt to t'is fa"t it is important to be bot' innovative an! fle+ible an! to be "lear on =t'e w'y5s> an! =t'e w'o5s> of every spe"ifi" programme, as every pro"ess of !efining a system of SD in!i"ators implies a !eli"ate balan"e between s"ientifi" vali!ity, politi"al a""eptability, an! te"'ni"al feasibility) *s su"', "reating an effi"ient system of in!i"ators !oes not only mean "reating a set of in!i"ators t'at "an balan"e t'e !ifferent aspe"ts of a "ommunity 1i)e) t'e environment, so"iety an! t'e e"onomy2, it also means balan"ing pra"ti"al every !ay politi"al problems 1vali!ity, a""eptability an! feasibility2) ('e SD literature 'as mu"' to say about t'e met'o!s of sele"ting in!i"ators, parti"ipation, t'e a!vantage of spe"ifi" in!i"ators, met'o!s of presentation et", 'owever little is sai! about t'e 20

pra"ti"al use of t'ese tools) ('e reason for t'is probably relates to t'e fa"t t'at t'e spe"ifi" "onte+t is "ru"ial for t'e use of SD.) Even if t'ere are rea!y%ma!e sets of in!i"ators, su"' as t'e E3 list of in!i"ators an! t'e "'e"klists !evelope! for t'e evaluation of pro4e"ts finan"e! by t'e Stru"tural Fun!s, t'ey nee! to be a!apte! to a spe"ifi" region or programme) * "ommon e+perien"e in several "ase stu!ies aiming to promote SRD 'as been t'at t'e initial 'ope of rea"'ing "ommon "riteria an! in!i"ators for SD 'as proven to be !iffi"ult 1#lement, 20012) ('e !ifferent interpretations of SD "reate! !iffi"ulties in un!erstan!ing ea"' ot'er, espe"ially wit' regar! to t'e relative importan"e of environmental, e"onomi" an! so"ial ob4e"tives) <owever, instea! of seeing t'ese !ifferen"es as a problem t'ey "an serve as a means to un!erstan!ing t'e !iverse s"ope of SD after 'aving !efine! a broa! framework) ('ere are no simple answers to w'at sustainable !evelopment is, an! t'ere are no perfe"t sustainability in!i"ators) .n t'is "onte+t it is "entral to remember t'at an in!i"ator 'as been sele"te! for t'e purpose of in!i"ating somet'ing an! not to provi!e a "omplete pi"ture) Bne way to avoi! t'e risk of be"oming too o""upie! in t'e measuring an! !efinition of in!i"ators, an! t'us forgetting t'eir ultimate goal, "oul! be to see t'e use of in!i"ators as a pro"ess) Su"' a learning pro"ess woul! start wit' a vision of SD an! a set of in!i"ators t'at generate greater parti"ipation an! interest in SD, w'i"' in turn lea!s to a new vision of SD an! a new set of in!i"ators) .n or!er for t'e final paper to be"ome more useful for t'e members of t'e European Network on Sustainable Development we woul! like you to respon! to t'e following ,uestionsA 1) For 'ow long, an! for w'at purpose, 'as your region worke! wit' in!i"ators for sustainable !evelopment; Do you use in!i"ators in your "urrent regional !evelopment programmes t'at "over all t'ree !imensions of sustainable !evelopment; 2) <ow 'ave you !efine! sustainable !evelopment in your region; <ow !i! you "ome to t'is !efinition; *re all four N"apitalsN "overe!; 1See se"tion 2)2 $) -'o 'ave been involve! in t'e pro"ess of i!entifying in!i"ators an! setting targets; National%regional%lo"al level a"tors; Representatives from !ifferent se"tors 1environmental, e"onomi", so"ial, "ultural se"tors2; rogramme managers or a wi!e range of stake'ol!ers in"lu!ing N6Bs, businesses et"; 4) <ave you been able to i!entify goo! in!i"ators for sustainable regional !evelopment; .f so, w'at is goo! about t'em; .s t'e nee!e! !ata a""essible at t'e regional level; *re t'ere in!i"ators for pro4e"t sele"tion an! monitoring in pla"e % an! !o you get t'e ne"essary information from pro4e"t managers; :) Do you 'ave e+amples from your region of measures or pro4e"ts w'ere e"onomi", so"ial an!Ior environmental goals are in "onfli"t wit' ea"' ot'er; Do you 'ave e+amples of pro4e"ts t'at positively impa"t two or more !imensions of sustainable !evelopment at t'e same time; @) .n w'at ways are t'e sustainable !evelopment in!i"ators use!; Do t'e in!i"ator s"ores an! information fee! ba"k into t'e !esign of new programmes, pro4e"ts or initiatives; *re t'e in!i"ator s"ores "ommuni"ate! to a wi!er au!ien"e;

21

*eferences and further readin!

*llenby, 8, Jasui, ., 9e'ni, &, OPst, R an! <unkeler, D 11//02) E"ometri"s Stak'ol!er Sub4e"tivityA Kalues, .ssues an! Effe"ts, Environ$en al Duali y Eanage$en 0112, pp 1%10) *rrow, E), et al) 11//:2) NE"onomi" 6rowt', #arrying #apa"ity, an! t'e Environment)N S"ien"e, 2@0A :20 %:21) *stleit'ner, F L <ame!inger, * 1200$2) ('e *nalysis of .n!i"ators as So"ially #onstru"te! oli"y .nstrumentsA benefits an! "'allenges of Gintera"tive resear"'5, (o)al Environ$en , 0 1@2, pp @2?%240 8ell, Simon an! &ores Step'en 1200$2) Eeasuring "us ainabili y (earning *ro$ doing, Eart's"an, 9on!on) 8ell, Simon an! &orse Step'en 11///2) "us ainabili y indi)a ors' $easuring i$$esurable?, Eart's"an, 9on!on) he

8ossel, < 11///2) -ndi)a ors *or "us ainable #evelop$en ' Theory, Ee hod, Appli)a ion s, .nternational .nstitute for Sustainable Development, -innipeg) 8rugmann, 7 11//?2) .s t'ere a &et'o! in our &easurement; ('e 3se of .n!i"ators in 9o"al Sustainable Development lanning, (o)al Environ$en 2112, pp :/%?2) #'ambers, Ni"ky, Simmons, #raig an! -a"kernagel &at'is 120002) "haring na ure.s in eres s' e)ologi)al *oo prin s as an indi)a or o* sus ainabili y, Eart's"an, 9on!on) #lement, E, <ansen, &, 8ra!ley, E 1200$2) Sustainable Regional DevelopmentA 9earning From Nor!i" E+perien"e, Report 200$A1, Nor!regio, Sto"k'olm) #lement, E, <ansen, & 120012) Sustainable regional !evelopment in t'e Nor!i" "ountries, Report 2001A0, Nor!regio, Sto"k'olm) Da'l, * 9 11//?2) ('e 8ig i"tureA #ompre'ensive *pproa"'es) art Bne F .ntro!u"tion) .n &ol!an, 8), 8ill'arD, S an! &atravers, R 1e!s)2 "us ainabili y -ndi)a ors' A Repor on he =roje) on -ndi)a ors o* "us ainable #evelop$en , 7o'n -iley an! Sons, #'i"'ester, pp @/%0$) Daly, < E 11//02) (owar!s some operational E)ologi)al E)ono$i)s, 2, pp 1%@) rin"iples of Sustainable Development,

Dire"torate%6eneral for t'e Environment 1e!)2 120002) To!ards a lo)al sus ainable pro*ile' European )o$$on indi)a ors/ e)hni)al repor , Bffi"e for Bffi"ial ubli"ations of t'e European #ommunities, 9u+embourg ENS3RE 120002) &aking Sustainable Regional Development KisibleA Evaluation &et'o!s an! .n!i"ators in t'e Regional #onte+t, Sustain, .nstitute fPr Kerfa'renste"'nik, 6raD) European #ommission 120022) ('emati" Evaluation on t'e #ontribution of t'e Stru"tural Fun!s to Sustainable DevelopmentA * Synt'esis Report Kol) 1, Kol) 2 an! *nne+es, D6 Regio, 8russels) European #ommission 120012) Eeasuring progress o!ards a $ore sus ainable Europe' proposed indi)a ors *or sus ainable develop$en , Bffi"e for Bffi"ial ubli"ations of t'e European #ommunities, 9u+embourg) European #ommission 11///2) EEAN" &olle) ion' Evalua ing so)io-e)ono$i) progra$$es, D6 Regio, 8russels) 22

European #ommission 11//02) =rogress To!ards "us ainable Regional #evelop$en , E3 R(D in <uman Dimensions of Environmental #'ange Report Series $I1///, D6 Resear"', 8russels) Falk'e!en) 9 120002) HFllbar u ve)kling > a u ve)kla livskvali e ino$ ra$en *Gr e rH vis $iljGu ry$$e, .nlQgg till 8yggforskningsrR!ets forskarseminarium ><Rllbar sta!sutve"kling som begrepp, politisk vision o"' mRl>, $0 nov%1 !e" 2000, Sto"k'olm) Friman, E 120022) No li$i s, The 9C h &en ury #is)ourse o* E)ono$i) Iro! h ) Skrifter frRn institutionen fSr 'istoriska stu!ier 2) 3meR universitet) 3meR) <a4er & * 11//:2 The =oli i)s o* Environ$en al #is)ourse, E)ologi)al EoderniJa ion and he =oli)y =ro)ess, #laren!on ressA B+for!) 6allopin, 6 # 11//?2) -ndi)a ors and heir Kse' -n*or$a ion *or #e)ision-$aking, in &ol!an, 8) 8ill'artD, S an! &atravers, R 1e!s)2 "us ainabili y -ndi)a ors' A Repor on he =roje) on -ndi)a ors o* "us ainable #evelop$en , 7o'n -iley an! Sons, #'i"'ester, pp 1$%2?) 6ar!ner, 7 S, Sin"lair, D 7, an! 8erkes, F 11//:2) &o$para ive analysis o* Eoun ain (anduse "us ainabili y' &ase " udies *or$ -ndia and &anada, Natural Resour"e .nstitute, 3niversity of &anitoba) 6oo!lan!, R an! Daly, < 11//@2) Environmental SustainabilityA 3niversal an! Non% Negotiable, E)ologi)al appli)a ions, @142, pp1002%101?) 6uy, 6 8 an! Eibert, # 7 11//02) Developing .n!i"ators of SustainabilityA 3S E+perien"e, Building Resear)h and -n*or$a ion, 2@112, pp $/%4:) <art, & 11///2) 6ui!e to Sustainable #ommunity .n!i"ators Se"on! E!ition, Sustainable &easures, Nort' *n!over, &*) 'ttpAIIwww)york)a")ukIinstIseiIsustainabilityIlively'oo!sIin!e+ .3#N% .nternational 3nion for #onservation of Nature an! Natural Resour"es 11/002) %orld &onserva ion " ra egy' (iving resour)es *or "us ainable #evelop$en , 6lan!, SwitDerlan! Eline, E 120002) lanning an! #reating E"o%#itiesA .n!i"ators as a (ool for S'aping Developing an! &easuring rogress, (o)al Environ$en , :1$2, pp $4$%$:0) 9ewan, 9illemor 120022) E)ologi)al *oo prin s and bio-)apa)i y' ools in planning and $oni oring o* sus ainable develop$en in an in erna ional perspe) ive , NaturvRr!sverket, Sto"k'olm) 9in!ley, 7 7 120012) Kirtual (ools for #omple+ roblemsA *n Bverview i of t'e *tlas NRegional .ntera"tive Sustainability *tlas for lanning for Sustainable Development, -$pa) Assess$en and =roje) Appraisal 1/122, pp 141%1:1) &a"6illivray, *le+, L Oa!ek, Simon, 11//:2) *""ounting for "'angeA in!i"ators for sustainable !evelopment, New E"onomi" Foun!ation, 9on!on) &eppem, ( an! 6ill, R 11//02) lanning for sustainability as a 9earning #on"ept, E)ologi)al E)ono$i)s, 2@, pp 121%1$?) &eter, E 11///2) Neig'bour'oo! Sustainability .n!i"ators 6ui!ebook, #rossroa!s #entre &inneapolis)

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&i"'ell, 6 11//@2) roblems an! Fun!amentals of Sustainable Development .n!i"ators, "us ainable #evelop$en , 4, pp 1%11) &i"'ell, 6, &ay, * an! &"Donal!, * 11//:2) .#*83EA * &et'o!ologi"al framework for t'e Development of .n!i"ators of Sustainable !evelopment, .nternational 7ournal of Sustainable Development an! -orl! E"ology, 1, pp /?%10/) &orse, S, &"Namara, N, *"'olo, & an! Bkwoli, 8 120012) Sustainability .n!i"atorsA ('e roblem of .ntegration, "us ainable #evelop$en , /, pp 1%1:) BE#D 120002) To!ards sus ainable develop$en ' indi)a ors pro)eedings o* he OE&# Ro$e )on*eren)e, BE#D, aris) o $easure progress'

BE#D 11//02) Sustainable Development .n!i"ators, BE#D E+pert -orks'op 0%/ B"tober, BE#D aris) B5Rior!an, ( 11/002) ('e oliti"s of Sustainability, in (urner, R) Eerry 1e!)2 "us ainable Environ$en al Eanage$en ' =rin)iple and =ra) i)e , 8el'aven ress, 8oul!er -estview ress, 9on!on Re!"lift, & 11/0?2) Sustainable DevelopmentA E+ploring t'e #ontra!i"tions, &et'uen ress, 9on!on Rigby, D, <owlett, D an! -oo!'ouse, 120002) A revie! o* -ndi)a ors o* Agri)ul ural and Rural (ivelihood "us ainabili y, .nstitute for Development oli"y an! &anagement, &an"'ester 3niversity, &an"'ester) S"'lei"'er F (appeser R, 9uke"' R, Strati F, Sweeney 6 an! ('ierstein * 11///2) -ns ru$en s *or "us ainable Regional #evelop$en ' The -N-"KRE# =roje) > +inal Repor E3RES Dis"ussion aper /, .nstitute for Regional Stu!ies in Europe, Freiburg) Stenmark, & 120022 ('e Relevan"e of Environmental Et'i"al ('eories for oli"y &aking) Environ$en al E hi)s, vol 24, pp 1$: F140) Stirling, * 11///2) ('e *ppraisal of SustainabilityA Some roblems an! ossible Responses, (o)al Environ$en , 4122, pp 111%1$:) (s"'irley, 7 8 11//?2) ('e 3se of .n!i"ators in Sustainable *gri"ulture an! Rural DevelopmentA #onsi!erations for Developing #ountries in &ol!an, 8, 8ill'arD, S an! &atravers, R) 1e!s)2, 11//?2 "us ainable -ndi)a ors' A Repor on he =roje) on -ndi)a ors o* "us ainable #evelop$en , 7o'n -iley an! Sons, #'i"'ester, pp 221% 22/) 3nite! Nation #onferen"e on Environment an! Development 11//22) ('e Rio De"laration on Environment an! Development, 3nite! Nations ubli"ations, New Jork) 3N#SD 11//@2) .n!i"ators of Sustainable Development Framework an! &et'o!ologies, 3nite! Nations, New Jork) -a"kernagel, &, 9ewan, 9, 8orgstrSm%<ansson, # 11///2) Evaluating t'e 3se of Natural #apital wit' t'e E"ologi"al Footprint) *ppli"ations in Swe!en an! Sub%regions, A$bio 201?2, pp @04%@12) -a"kernagel, &, Rees, - 11//@2) ('e E"ologi"al Footprint F Re!u"ing <uman .mpa"t on t'e Eart', New So"iety ublis'ers, 6abriola .slan! 8)#)

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-oo!'ouse, , <owlett, D an! Rigby D 120002) * Framework for Resear"' on Sustainability .n!i"ators for *gri"ultural an! Rural liveli'oo!s, .nstitute for Development oli"y an! &anagement, &an"'ester 3niversity, &an"'ester) -#ED % -orl! #ommission on Environment an! Development 11/0?2) Our &o$$on +u ure, B+for! 3niversity ress, B+for!) $urther reading #arlsson, 3lrika 11//?2 Bn .n!i"ators for Sustainability, #'almers tekniska 'Sgskola, 6Steborg) Devuyst, Dimitri, <ens, 9u" an! De 9annoy, -alter 1e!s)2 120012 Ho! Ireen is he )i y? "us ainabili y assess$en and he $anage$en o* urban environ$en s , #olumbia 3niversity ress, New Jork Dryselius, &ats an! 7o'ansson Eva%9otta 120002, Environmental in!i"ators in "ommunity planningA a presentation of t'e literature, Report :011, 8overket, NaturvRr!sverket) <olmberg, 7o'n, 11//:2 "o)io-e)ologi)al prin)iples and indi)a ors *or sus ainabili y, #'almers tekniska 'Sgskola, 6Steborg) Ea'n, * 11//: Sustainable DevelopmentA ('e Eey #on"ept, .ssues an! .mpli"ations, Sustainable Development, $112) &a"6illivray, *le+, -eston, #an!y an! 3nswort', #at'erine 11//02 &o$$uni ies )oun L' a s ep by s ep guide o )o$$uni y sus ainabili y indi)a ors, New E"onomi"s Foun!ation, 9on!on) &ol!an, 8, 8ill'arD, S an! &atravers, R) 1e!s)2, 11//?2 "us ainable -ndi)a ors' A Repor on he =roje) on -ndi)a ors o* "us ainable #evelop$en , 7o'n -iley an! Sons, #'i"'ester) NaturvRr!sverket, 8overket 120002 The use o* indi)a ors in spa ial planning' a si ua ion repor , Report :010, NaturvRr!sverket, Sto"k'olm) NaturvRr!sverket, Statistiska #entralbyrRn 120012 Sustainable Development .n!i"ators for Swe!enA a first set 2001, NaturvRr!sverket, Sto"k'olm) BE#D, 120012 OE&# Environ$en al indi)a ors 9CC1' o!ard sus ainable develop$en , BE#D, aris) ear"e, Davi!, 11//$2, Eeasuring sus ainable develop$en Blueprin 6, Eart's"an, 9on!on) &ofatt, .an, <anley, Ni"k an! -ilson, &ike D 120012 Eeasuring and $odelling sus ainable develop$en , art'enon ublis'ing 6roup, New Jork)

2:

"nnex 1+ ,urostat sustainable development indicators &./IA0 'I1,2&I.2 Theme E,uity Sub .theme overty 1ndicator opulation living below poverty line &easures of in"ome ine,uality 3nemployment rate Jout' unemployment rate So"ial benefits per "apita 6en!er e,uality #'il! welfare <ealt' Nutrition status .llnesses &ortality Female to male wage ratio #'il! welfare Nutritional status of population &ortality !ue to sele"te! key illnesses .nfant mortality 9ife e+pe"tan"y at birt' Sanitation <ealt'"are !elivery opulation "onne"te! to sanitation system National 'ealt' e+pen!iture .mmunisation against "'il!'oo! !iseases E!u"ation E!u"ational level 9itera"y <ousing 9iving "on!itions 9evels of e!u"ational attainment 9ow ,ualifi"ation levels Numbers of rooms per "apita <ouse'ol! "omposition Se"urity opulation #rime opulation "'ange Reporte! "rimes opulation growt' rate opulation !ensity Net migration rate

,23I).21,2%A0 'I1,2&I.2 *tmosp'ere #limate "'ange BDone layer !epletion *ir ,uality er "apita emissions of green'ouse gases #onsumption of oDone !epleting substan"es *ir pollutants in urban areas

2@

9an!

*gri"ulture

*gri"ultural area an! organi" farming Nitrogen balan"es 3se of agri"ultural pesti"i!es

Forests

(otal forest area -oo! 'arvesting ratio

3rbanisation B"ean, sea an! "oasts Fres' water #ostal Done Fis'eries -ater ,uantity -ater ,uality

6rowt' of built up area Eutrop'i"ation of "osts an! marine waters Fis' "at"'es by sele"te! over%e+ploite! spe"ies .ntensity of water use 8BD "on"entrations in sele"te! rivers Tuality of bat'ing waters

8io!iversity

E"osystem Spe"ies

rote"te! area as a M of total area Number of t'reatene! spe"ies

,/.2.1I/ 'I1,2&I.2 E"onomi" stru"ture E"onomi" performan"e er "apita 6D .nvestment s'are in 6D Kalue a!!e! by main se"tor .nflation rate (ra!e Net "urrent a""ount E3 an! international markets Finan"ial status ubli" !ebt *i! to !eveloping "ountries #onsumption an! pro!u"tion patterns &aterial "onsumption Energy use &aterial "onsumption er "apita gross inlan! energy "onsumption Renewable energy sour"es .ntensity of energy use -aste generation an! management 6eneration an! !isposal of muni"ipal waste 6eneration of in!ustrial waste 6eneration an! !isposal of 'aDar!ous waste 6eneration an! !isposal of ra!ioa"tive waste

2?

Re"y"ling of wasteA paper an! glass -aste treatment an! !isposal fa"ilities (ransportation assenger transport by mo!e Freig't transport by mo!e Environmental prote"tion Environmental prote"tion e+pen!itures

I2&%I%4%I.2A0 'I1,2&I.2 .nstitutional "apa"ity .nformation a""ess #ommuni"ation stru"ture S"ien"e an! te"'nology .nternet a""ess #ommuni"ation .nfrastru"ture E+pen!iture on resear"' an! !evelopment

Nature !isaster Risks to 'uman an! natural "apital prepare!ness an! response

Sour"eA Eurostat 120012A 3N#SD Sustaiable !evelopment in!i"ators

20