Sustainbility Indicators - the Promise and the Morass
October 21, 2012 at 11:56AM Regarding a recent discussion with a colleague on the topic of indicators in general and sustainability indicators in particular, the key take-away ideas for me are as follows:
1. The value of info is in the difference it makes to decision making and accomplishments. If it does not change a decision that produces higher value than otherwise, the info is worthless, actually negative because it costs money.
2. Key tripping point is the conceptual foundation of most indicator projects. Another one is the information bias, collect it and it will tell us something we need to know(!). See the PAS report link below for a comprehensive assessment of the state of sustainability indicators in planning and elsewhere.
3. The "fix" in my mind, and this would be a huge contribution to the field would be along the lines of the following:
a. Reframe the indicator mindset from atomistic, unconnected static points and snap shots to the whole systems, interconnected trajectory that we're on now and that we need to be on to hit the goal.
i. This means don't take a measurement of the existing state, then calc a ratio to the desired goal/end state, BUT, calculate where we are now, where we'll be in X time if we continue on our current trajectory and then calc the relationship between that state and where we want to be.
b. Measure the "drivers" of sustainability, not all the detail, and NOT the drivers of unsustainability, so that we illuminate what needs to change, the focus of policy and action, so that would be simple, big things like
i. % renewable energy use of all energy use now and in whatever year of the planning horizon, say 2050 for now, against goal of 100%, you can measure GHGs, but that's so much more complicated and doesn't get to the real issue, are we burning carbon or not!!
ii. % food/animals from organic methods
iii. % water supply in future relative to now, given climate change
iv. % extreme weather events . . .
c. Measure the things that enable the needed change, such as the R&D and innovation required to radically increase energy/materials resource efficiency, amount of design for no waste/recycling, and other focused research topics that are the "break-thru" developments required to push the sustainability frontier.
d. Measure the trajectory, not two or more static points in time
e. Measure against a definition of the 100% end state desired so the gap is clear, glaring, and motivational.
For a discussion of the topic as a review of the PAS Report, see this post.
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