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A New Approach to Measuring Societal Progress
Presented by: Alexis Morgan, Pembina Institute
Presented to:
CSIN Learning Event
Date: February 16th, 2010
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Outline
What is Wellbeing? What is the Canadian Index of
Wellbeing? Why a New Measure of Wellbeing? The Environment Domain Questions
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“IS THIS WELLBEING?”
How are we doing as Canadians?
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•
“Around the world, a consensus is growing about the need for a more holistic and transparent way to measure societal progress – one that accounts for more than just economic indicators such as the Gross Domestic Product and takes into account the full range of social, health, environmental and economic concerns of citizens.
•
”—The Honourable Roy J. Romanow
Chair, Institute of Wellbeing Advisory Board
•
“What we measure affects what we do,and if our measurements are flawed, decisions may be distorted…what we measure shapes what we collectively strive to pursue – and what we pursue determines what we measure.— Report by the Commission on the
Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress
Stiglitz, Sen and Fitoussi, September 2009
”
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What is the Canadian Index of Wellbeing?
A national index that will report regularly on the wellbeing of Canadians in eight areas or domains:
Healthy populations Living standards Community vitality Democratic engagement Time use Arts, culture and recreation Education Environment
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What we count and measure influences how we make policy decisions
If we don’t measure wellbeing, in all of its dimensions, it doesn’t count…leaving Canadians to: Gauge wellbeing using a narrow set of
economic indicators
Misinterpret wellbeing or use surrogate measures
Ignore policy options that will fundamentally improve wellbeing
Why a Canadian Index of Wellbeing?
Indicators are
powerful
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Institute of Wellbeing – Vision Institute of Wellbeing – Vision
• To enable all Canadians to share in the highest wellbeing status by identifying, developing and publicizing statistical measures that offer clear, valid and regular reporting on progress toward wellbeing outcomes Canadians seek as a nation
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Promote a shared vision of what really constitutes sustainable wellbeing and the elements that contribute to or detract from it;
Measure national progress toward (or away from) achieving that vision;
Understand and promote awareness of why society is moving in the direction it is moving;
Stimulate discussion about the types of policies, programs and activities that would move us closer and faster toward achieving wellbeing;
Give Canadians tools to promote wellbeing with policy shapers and decision makers so as to account for why things are getting better or worse; and
Add momentum to the global movement for a more holistic way of measuring societal progress.
Institute of Wellbeing - Goals
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Criteria for Indicator Selection
1. Relevant to Canadians
2. Easy to understand
3. Reliable, scientifically robust and valid
4. Politically unbiased
5. Timely, easy to obtain and periodically update
6. Comparable across jurisdictions and groups
7. Objective or subjective
8. Positive or negative
9. A constituent or determinant of wellbeing, or both
10. Attributable to individuals or groups
11. Obtained through an open, transparent and democratic consultative review process
12. Going to contribute to a coherent, comprehensive view of the wellbeing of Canadians
13. ENV DOMAIN: Built upon a stock-flow model
14. ENV DOMAIN: Ties into existing national/global reporting (CESI, MDG, CBD, etc.)
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1. Expert literature reviews and/or environmental scans
2. Domain reports listing indicators including eight-ten headliners for the composite
3. Project management and Canadian Research Advisory Group (CRAG) reviews
4. Roundtable reviews
5. External peer reviews
Research & Validation Research & Validation ProcessProcess
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CRAG – Environment Domain
• Mark Anielski, Economist, Author, and President of Anielski Management Inc., Edmonton
• Noel Keough, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Design, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary
• Hans Messinger, Senior Advisor and former Director of Industry Measures & Analysis, Statistics Canada
• Alex Michalos, CIW Director of Research; Director, Institute for Social Research and Evaluation, Professor Emeritus, Political Science, and Chancellor, University of Northern British Columbia
• László Pintér, Director, Measurement and Assessment Program, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg
• Robert Smith, Director of Environment Accounts and Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
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Environment Domain – Process
• Work is being built upon an earlier version of the Environment Domain & learning experiences from other GPI efforts (both Cdn & Int’l)
• Work compared potential frameworks & indicators against:– International frameworks & indicators/data (e.g. OECD, CBD,
EPI, etc.)
– Available national and local data (e.g. CESI, Statistics Canada, etc.)
• Various frameworks were explored:– Ecosystem services (MEA, etc.)
– State-Pressure-Response (DPSIR)
– Reed Noss’s biodiversity indicator framework
– HIPPO, I=PCT, Industrial ecology ‘rules’, biomimicry ‘life rules’ etc.
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Environment Domain – Draft Framework
Sub-Domain STOCK FLOW
ATMOSPHERE (AIR)
FRESHWATER (WATER)
MINERALS/METALS & ENERGY (EARTH)
SPACE & BIODIVERSITY (LIFE)
Sub-Domain STOCK FLOW
AIR
WATER
MINERALS
ENERGY
SPACE
GENETIC MATERIALS
FROM VICTOR ET AL., 2008FROM VICTOR ET AL., 2008
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Stock Variable
(SVt)
Stock Variable
(SVt)
SVt impact from Primary Natural Resource Sector
consumption as a Factor of
Production (+/-)
Change in SVt
from annual Improvements via mitigation
and restoration (+)
Primary Flow Indicator
Change in SVt from Rural and
Urban development (-)
SVt impact from household
consumption (+/-)
Stock IndicatorStock Indicator
Human (physical &
mental) health effects (+/-)
Human (physical &
mental) health effects (+/-)
Economic effects (+/-)
Economic effects (+/-)
Wellbeing Indicator
“Raw materials”
“Restoring land use”
“Changing land use”
“Finished goods”
SVt impact / per unit of production
SVt impact / household basket
of products
Increase in SVt
Decrease in SVt
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem Services
Environmental Health
Socio-economic Health
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Environment Domain – Draft Framework & Indicators
Sub-Domain
STOCK FLOW
AIR Ground-level ozone/Air Quality Health Index
NPRI releases of Criteria Air Contaminants
Cumulative GHG emissions (total since 1960)
Annual GHG emissions (absolute & intensity)
$ spent on energy efficiency measures
• Rationale:• Air quality is valued by Canadians & nationally recorded• Climate change & GHGs are relevant to Canadians• NPRI is the only nationally consistent emissions data• Government approach to GHGs has been to invest in efficiency
• Other potential indicators:• Percentage of people commuting by walking / biking / public transit / carpool / single-person vehicle?• Survey of money spent on adaptation? • Number of green buildings?
Proposed headline indicator
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Environment Domain – Draft Framework & IndicatorsSub-Domain
STOCK FLOW
FRESHWATER
Water Quality Index NPRI OR Ag Census: N & P loadings (water)
Water Quantity (annual flows + ice/groundwater)
Water consumption / footprint
% exploited / available by watershed
• Rationale:• Water quality and quantity are also valued by Canadians and nationally recorded• Nitrogen and phosphorus have significant impacts on water quality• Water consumption (especially in water-poor watersheds) is of increasing relevance and importance to Canadians
• Other potential indicators:• Clean water technology expenditures (annual amount per capita) OR Defensive water quality/quantity expenditures (annual amount per capita)?• NPRI emissions? Number of urban pesticide bans? Agricultural pesticide use?
Proposed headline indicator
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Environment Domain – Draft Framework & Indicators
Sub-Domain STOCK FLOW
MINERALS/METALS & ENERGY (EARTH)
Non-renewable energy reserves (mT)
Energy production (by type)
Mineral & Metal reserves (mT)
Energy use (per capita)
Metabolic rate (tonnes/capita/yr)
Municipal recycling & waste disposal rates
• Rationale:• Reserves are part of StatCan’s national accounts• Energy production and use are key metrics of sustainability as Canadians are amongst the most energy-hungry people on Earth• Recycling, waste and the societal “metabolism” are recognizable
• Other potential indicators:• Total volume of converted reserves (partially captured in metabolic rate)• GHG intensity/joule of energy consumption (GHG/J)
Proposed headline indicator
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Environment Domain – Draft Framework & Indicators
Sub-Domain STOCK FLOW
SPACE & BIODIVERSITY (LIFE)
(Forest) Habitat cover Protected areas (by IUCN class)
Net Biome Productivity Land conversion (ha/year/type)
Species Abundance Index Land reclamation (ha/year/type)
% of under & moderately exploited marine species
Urban density (people/ha)
COSEWIC / Red List index
• Rationale:
• Forest habitat is nationally measured and internationally reported
• NBP provides a measure of ecosystem change, along with land cover change
• Species are iconic as measures of biodiversity; especially endangered spp.
• Genetic data are not readily available
• Other potential indicators:• Expenditures on protected area management (dollars/capita); Access to parks• Kms of road / number of dams built / number of oil wells (driver of fragmentation)• Regulatory enforcement? Invasive species?
Proposed headline indicator
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Putting it all together…
• Indicators will be reported independently and as an index
• 10 indicators will be selected as “headline indicators”
• Visual presentation will be used where possible
• Wellbeing “linkage” indicators are still being determined
• Planned release date: November 2010
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Thoughts/Questions?
• Aspects of framework that could/should be modified?
• Indicators that should be included/removed?
• Data sets that are available?
• Other thoughts/input?
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Questions welcome
For more information:Check the CIW website at www.ciw.ca
or contact
Alexis Morgan
