Activites

The following recommendations aim to facilitate the cooperation and active involvement of various actors to achieve consensus in measuring development, societal progress and human wellbe-ing in a way that is theoretically grounded, technically robust and feasible, and able to influence policy-making processes.

1.Theoretical consensus: development vision and beyond-GDP frameworks

• Moving beyond GDP requires a shift towards a Sustainable Human Development paradigm, embedding well-being and sustainability at the core of policymaking.
• Institutional changes are needed to ensure the integration of SHD principles into decision-making and measurement frameworks, requiring both political commitment and structural reforms.
• The proliferation of beyond-GDP initiatives highlights the need for international harmonization, calling for a strong alliance and coordinated framework to define societal progress coherently.

2. Technical consensus: the design and use of composite indicators

• Strengthening statistical capacities is essential, requiring adequate financing and tailored support for national statistical offices and data providers.
• Policymakers and researchers should carefully select composite indicators (CIs) to ensure:
  • Alignment with measurement objectives.
  • Comprehensive coverage of relevant sustainability dimensions.
  • Awareness of gaps, overlaps, and limitations in existing indicators.
  • Design improvements in CIs should focus on:
  • Standardization, weighting, and aggregation methods to capture synergies and trade-offs across multiple dimensions.
  • Systemic indicators that incorporate dynamic interactions between dimensions rather than treating them in isolation.
  • Statistical methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to reveal hidden patterns and systemic obstacles in transition processes.
• Harmonization efforts are needed to improve coherence across sustainability composite indicators (SCIs), ensuring that overlaps, substitutability, and complementarity are explicitly acknowledged.
• Simplicity and clarity in indicators should be prioritized. Adding too many variables reduces interpretability, while well-designed composite measures—such as the Human Development Index (HDI)—offer a good balance of clarity and relevance.
• Normalization based on theoretical thresholds (e.g., policy targets or sustainability goals) should be used to ensure comparability and meaningful interpretation. Weighting systems should be adapted to highlight key dimensions without distorting the intended measurement focus.
• Many existing composite indicators fail to capture the green transition effectively. Instead of overcomplicating SCIs, simpler one-dimensional indicators (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, water supply) should complement sustainability measurement frameworks.
• Disaggregated data should always be made easily accessible in official reports to allow policymakers and researchers to interpret underlying trends effectively.

3. Public and policy consensus: a new overarching goal

• Engaging citizens and societal actors: The transition to a Sustainable Human Development paradigm requires broad public engagement and scrutiny to establish a shared goal of sustainable and inclusive well-being across all policies.
• Multilevel and multistakeholder approach: Policymaking should be inclusive and participatory, integrating quintuple helix actors (government, academia, business, civil society, and the environment) and ensuring coordination across governance levels.
• Role of media and communication: To move beyond GDP, effective communication is essential for shaping public narratives, influencing policy decisions, and reinforcing sustainability-focused development frameworks.