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The Environment and
Sustainable |
OVERVIEW
How
are we really doing – for the long run? Can our economy keep on supporting us
as one of the most developed countries in the world, particularly given our high
use of natural resources? What will be left for our children to build their own
futures?
To
answer these vital questions, we need an accurate and trusted measurement system
that puts economic development in perspective with human development and the
state of the environment, which supports our economy and lifestyle. Canada’s National
Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) led a historic first
attempt at measuring the long-term sustainability of Canada’s economic
activity.
The
Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators (ESDI) Initiative has
produced a set of six indicators to track whether Canada's current economic
activities threaten the way of life for future generations. The indicators
chosen by a group of experts from different sectors can tell us if things are
getting better or worse, or are where we want them.
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The
six sustainability indicators
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The
goal of the Canadian sustainability indicators is to show the state of and
trends in a key set of stocks or capitals — human, environmental and economic
— on which Canada’s economy depends for current and future performance. The
indicator trend lines will indicate if today’s economic activity is
threatening the ability of future generations to create their own healthy
economy.
The
aim is to have them encourage people to integrate environmental considerations
into economic decision-making, whether those people are in governments,
business, or are just shopping for themselves. The signals from these indicators
should influence everything from major investment decisions to consumer
purchases. The indicators will track the results over time, showing if we are
making progress towards sustainable development.
The
NRTEE launched the ESDI process in August 2000 and released its final
recommended indicators list in May 2003.
The
NRTEE recommends that the Department of Finance expand Canada’s System of
National Accounts to incorporate the proposed indicators. Statistics Canada has
committed to play the lead role in reporting the recommended indicators
annually. Environment Canada has committed to implement the Canadian Information
System for the Environment, which will provide data to support most of the
indicators.
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