An introduction to sustainable development /
Jennifer A. Elliott
- 4th ed.
- Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, c2013.
- 1 online resource (xix,361 p.)
- Routledge perspectives on development .
Includes bibliographies & index
The field of indictors of and for sustainable development is expanding rapidly. The tools for assessing sustainable development targets and outcomes are now substantial but there continue to be challenges for capturing the process of change and the more qualitative dimensions of sustainability. The economic vulnerability of countries globally, as demonstrated by the recent economic crisis, has prompted questioning of both the measures for assessing development progress and the means for achieving this. It is the focus of a number of international reviews of indicators for sustainable development. Ecological footprinting is a well-established method for exploring human impacts on environmental resources. It forms the basis of carbon footprinting and also measures that quantify the efficiency with which ecological resources are converted into human development outcomes. Green GDP accounting seeks to adjust and/or augment conventional GDP accounts to better measure sustainable economic welfare. Values-based outcomes such as respect for ecological integrity and social justice are ‘harder to measure’ but central to the mission and activities of many organisations working towards sustainable development.
978-0-415-59072-3
Sustainable development Developing countries Environmental policy