Measuring Sustainability

What gets measured gets managed.
What gets reported gets understood.

To move to sustainable development, decision-makers need information. They need information about where they are at the moment. . . information on developing trends and pressure points . . . information about the impacts or effects of interventions or policies put into place. They need feedback on which adjustments to make to speed up or slow down the effects of their interventions. They need information about milestones achieved or about failures that frustrate progress.

Indicators of Sustainable Development (ISD) Progress from Theory to Practice
Copyright © 1997 United Nations.

Canada's Sustainability Indicators Initiative
The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators Initiative is our most ambitious attempt yet to develop indicators that link economic activity to its long-term effects on the environment.

A Survey of Measuring Systems
How are other Canadian jurisdictions, national governments, international bodies and non-governmental organizations approaching the challenge of developing sustainable development indicators?

Measuring Sustainability - was created with the generous support of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE). The NRTEE is pleased to support this section of the SRP website to improve the understanding of the concept of sustainable development and its practical applications. The views expressed herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent those of the National Round Table or its members.

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A Backgrounder on Measuring