Sustainability Metrics
Lecture 1-Weak Sustainability Metrics
Dr Bernadette O’Regan
Lecture 2-Strong Sustainability Metrics
Prof Richard Moles
Lecture 3-Can we decouple growth or development from environmental impact?
Dr Bernadette O’Regan
Reading:
http://www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs/other/indicators/irlenv/
http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2009/seri_foee_measuring_eu_resou
rce_use_final.pdf
http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/signals-2009
Weak Vs Strong Sustainability
The meaning of sustainability is the subject of intense debate among
environmental and resource economists. The debate currently
focuses on the substitutability between the economy and the environment
or between “natural capital” and “man-made capital”-- a debate captured in
terms of “weak” vs. “strong” sustainability.
“Weak” sustainability, based on the work of neoclassical economists
Robert Solow and John Hartwick, suggest that sustainability is based on
the aggregate stock of man-made and natural capital, i.e. that there is a
certain amount of substitutability between man-made and natural capital.
Proponents of “strong” sustainability insist that natural capital cannot be
substituted with other forms of capital.
Sustainability Indicators are measures of “weak” sustainability as socioeconomic issues are included
Ecological Footprints are measures of “strong” sustainability as they only
include environmental parameters
Why we need to measure
sustainability
• General agreement now that we need to manage for a more
sustainable development…whatever definition is used.
• Sustainability being included as policy at most levels nationally, at
EU level and globally.
• Cannot manage what we cannot measure, therefore need to
measure and monitor sustainability performance.
• Need to be able to benchmark progress, identify which policies
and actions have been successful.
• Policy-makers need justification especially if something new is
proposed and this justification must be documented and come from
a trustworthy source.
Why we need to measure
sustainability
• Policy-makers will be more likely to create achievable policies if
they understand the importance of interactions between the
environment or society and the implications of choosing one
objective over another
• However, policy-makers often require ‘one number’ and this is
problematic as it leads to oversimplification…and benchmarking
against what has happened elsewhere is important for justification.
• Many variables in sustainability, these often have complex
interactions.
• Difficult/impossible and very expensive to measure everything.
•Therefore need to use indicators.
What are Indicators?
Indicators are pieces of information which simplify complex phenomena and
highlight the trends of system functioning, through summarising or typifying
the characteristics of particular systems.
Sustainability indicators aim at monitoring key aspects of the interactions
between society and nature, to generate information regarding current state
and underlying causes.
In order to achieve sustainability, it is necessary to have appropriate
performance indicators of the economy and natural systems that give us
appropriate information about the status of those systems.
Indicators are useful tools to communicate simplified, concise and
scientifically credible information on problems of sustainable development,
which are too complex to measure directly.
Place your headings here for each
slide, over one or two lines.
The three basic functions of indicators are simplification, quantification
and communication.
By translating the concept of sustainable development into numerical
terms which are simple to understand, indicators can be used to raise
environmental awareness among the public, as well as to strengthen public
support for policy measures.
Sustainability indicators differ from classical indicators; they do not simply
reflect environmental conditions or pressures on the environment, but
indicate interactive characteristics between socioeconomic and ecological
systems.
Indicators can chart and track progress towards or away from sustainable
development.
Place your headings here for each
slide, over one or two lines.
Criteria for selection of indicators:
• Data for indicator development should be readily available.
• Indicator should be easy to understand and communicate.
• Indicators should relate to data that can be measured.
• Indicators should be specific and appropriate, illustrating key aspects of
relevant issues.
• There should be a short time-lag between aspects being measured and
presentation of developed indicators referring to these, to enable indicators
to be used for effective policy-making.
• Indicators should be based on information that can be used to compare
what happens at different times, developments and geographical areas.
• Indicators should facilitate international comparisons
One Large Heading
• It is important to distinguish indicators from
measurements or statistics. Although indicators rely
on measurements and statistics as a starting point,
comprehensive indicators contain measurements,
trends in measurements over time, roles and
contributions of various stakeholders and specific
targets.
• Although primary data are the basis for analysis,
raw data are seldom meaningful to the general
public, policy-makers or even scientists themselves,
meaning usually emerges through further analysis.
• Indicators therefore, are interpretations of reality,
providing a quantitative account of a complex
situation or process.
Examples of Sustainability Indicators
Environment: Per Capita Waste Volume, %Sewerage Connection,
Transport CO2 Emissions, Electricity CO2 Emissions, Level of Wastewater
Treatment, % Recycling, %Green Energy Interest.
Socio-economic: Population Density, Annual Income, %Households in
Social Housing, %Primary Education as Highest Level, %Cert./Dipl. as
Highest Level
Quality of Life: Distance to Nearest Hospital (Km), %45+ Hours
Employment, GPs per 1000 Population.
Increasing Aggregation
International Level Policy
Aggregated Metrics
National Level Policy
Regional Level Policy
Local Level Policy
Component Metrics
Indicators
Problems with Aggregation
Detail can be lost
Resultant policies may not be specific enough to
achieve goals
Can be misleading and result in bad policies
Sustainability Indicators