GDP and beyond: Focus on measuring economic development and well-being

This issue of Sigma deals with the measurement of the quality of life of a nation, or its well-being, as recommended by the so-called Stiglitz Report and the European Commission's Communication 'GDP and Beyond: Measuring progress in a changing world', both published in 2009. The starting point of these initiatives was the view that gross domestic product alone was no longer the best way to measure a country’s progress and needed to be complemented by environmental and social indicators. In an attempt to determine which indicators are needed, Sigma features experts from the European Commission and several national statistical institutes as well as reactions from independent researchers and journalists. The issue closes with a feature on the Statistics Directorate of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

ESO: Background information: EU mulls indicators to measure wellbeing 'beyond GDP' http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-mulls-indicators-to-measure-wellbeing-beyond-gdp/

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