1 WP4: Sustainability indicators TMLeuven (Eef Delhaye, Christophe Heyndrickx) CEFIR October 29, 2009

2 Outline SUST-RUS meeting Goal of WP4 How to achieve this goal What will be the output from WP4 Progress within WP4

3 Goal of WP4 Define sustainability indicators –Social –Economiceffects of policies –Environmental Establish an assessment framework –How to use the results of a policy analysis with the model How to interpret each of the indicators How to weight the different dimensions SUST-RUS meeting

4 How to achieve this goal (1) Literature review For each area: –Selection and construction of 5 to 7 indicators –Choice based on importance/tractability indicators Development of methodology for assessment structure of model SUST-RUS meeting

5 How to achieve this goal (2) Literature review to learn –How to choose between indicators Eg. Indicators which are scientific, functional and pragmatic –What are possible problems when choosing Eg. Subjectivity, only measuring the measurables,… Eg. Data requirements –Methodology for possible aggregations Eg. Advantages/disadvantages of monetization, using performance scales, using an aggregate –Balance between the interpretation and measurement of the complex phenomena of sustainable development while keeping indicators as simple as possible and their number in low levels.

6 How to achieve this goal (3) Selection and construction of –Social indicators –Economic indicators –Environmental indicators Selection based on –Assuring that indicators are representative –Keeping the number of indicators at a reasonable level (5-7) and striving for a certain balance in terms of number of indicators representing the various dimensions of sustainability –Trying to avoid excessive overlapping –Assuring practicability and feasibility; in particular having confidence that the indicators can be generated within the SUST-RUS research project.

7 How to achieve this goal (3) Possible economic indicators –GDP per capita –Unemployment –Consumptions –… Possible environmental indicators –Emissions of pollutants –Land use –… Possible social indicators –Welfare induced by policy change –Poverty gap –…

8 How to achieve this goal (4) Development of policy assessment framework –How to take into account all dimensions in a consistent way Multicriteria versus aggregate Intra versus intergenerational Compensatory versus non-compensatory Time horizon

9 Output from WP4 For the indicators: fact sheet with –Name of indicator –Description of indicator –Calculation of indicator –Indicative tresholds for its value Assessment tool SUST-RUS meeting

10 Progress within WP4 Started with literature review Screening of possible indicators