Measuring the SDGs an initial picture for the Netherlands
SDGs-NL
SDGs-NL
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The UN’s SDG indicators are one of <strong>the</strong> milestones in a long-lasting debate about<br />
measuring sustainable development <strong>an</strong>d well-being. Gross domestic product (GDP) is<br />
too limited <strong>an</strong> indicator to be able to measure whe<strong>the</strong>r a country is on a sustainable<br />
development path. Various international <strong>an</strong>d national initiatives argue <strong>for</strong> multiple<br />
indicators, in addition to GDP, to gain a <strong>picture</strong> of developments <strong>an</strong>d trade-offs across<br />
<strong>the</strong> full extent of <strong>the</strong> economy, <strong>the</strong> environment <strong>an</strong>d society.<br />
2.1 <strong>Measuring</strong> sustainable<br />
development <strong>an</strong>d well-being<br />
The UN’s proposed set of SDG indicators (UN, 2016a) fits in <strong>an</strong> on-going discussion<br />
concerning measuring prosperity <strong>an</strong>d well-being, referred to as <strong>the</strong> ‘Beyond GDP’<br />
discussion. Import<strong>an</strong>t milestones in this discussion are <strong>the</strong> report entitled Our Common<br />
Future from <strong>the</strong> Brundtl<strong>an</strong>d Commission (WCED, 1987), <strong>the</strong> Report by <strong>the</strong> Commission on<br />
<strong>the</strong> Measurement of Economic Per<strong>for</strong>m<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>an</strong>d Progress (Stiglitz, Sen <strong>an</strong>d Fitoussi, 2009)<br />
<strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> recommendations of <strong>the</strong> Conference of Europe<strong>an</strong> Statistici<strong>an</strong>s (UNECE, 2014),<br />
referred to as <strong>the</strong> CES indicators. In addition, <strong>the</strong> recommendations of <strong>the</strong> Temporary<br />
Committee on a Broad Definition of Welfare (Tijdelijke commissie Breed welvaartsbegrip)<br />
(House of Representatives, 2016b) fit within this framework. Extensive descriptions<br />
of <strong>the</strong>se developments c<strong>an</strong> be found in Smits <strong>an</strong>d Hoekstra (2011) <strong>an</strong>d House of<br />
Representatives (2016b).<br />
Nationally <strong>an</strong>d internationally, statistici<strong>an</strong>s <strong>an</strong>d o<strong>the</strong>rs are involved in measuring<br />
sustainable development <strong>an</strong>d well-being. For inst<strong>an</strong>ce, a recent CBS publication that fits<br />
in this development is <strong>the</strong> Sustainability Monitor of <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>an</strong>ds (CBS/CPB/PBL, SCP,<br />
2014), which has <strong>an</strong> indicators section (produced by CBS) <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong> explorations section<br />
(produced by <strong>the</strong> policy assessment org<strong>an</strong>isations). There are also <strong>the</strong> CBS publications<br />
Kwaliteit v<strong>an</strong> Leven in Nederl<strong>an</strong>d (v<strong>an</strong> Gaalen <strong>an</strong>d Kazemier, 2015), Welzijn in Nederl<strong>an</strong>d<br />
(Moonen <strong>an</strong>d Stroucken, 2015) <strong>an</strong>d Green Growth in <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>an</strong>ds (CBS, 2015b).<br />
Internationally, various statistical reports have been published, including How’s Life?<br />
(OECD, 2015) <strong>an</strong>d Sustainable Development in <strong>the</strong> Europe<strong>an</strong> Union (Eurostat, 2015).<br />
2.2 The Brundtl<strong>an</strong>d report<br />
In <strong>the</strong> report Our Common Future (WCED, 1987), <strong>the</strong> Brundtl<strong>an</strong>d Commission explores<br />
social (<strong>an</strong>d sustainable) developments from <strong>the</strong> perspective of justice. This report<br />
explores <strong>the</strong> intra-generational distribution of well-being within <strong>the</strong> current generation<br />
(in particular <strong>the</strong> distribution of well-being between <strong>the</strong> rich <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> developing<br />
countries) <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> inter-generational perspective, where <strong>the</strong> focus is on whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong><br />
current generation is not exhausting too m<strong>an</strong>y of <strong>the</strong> resources, which could threaten<br />
future generations’ pursuit of well-being. According to <strong>the</strong> Brundtl<strong>an</strong>d Commission,<br />
a development is only sustainable if both <strong>the</strong> intra- <strong>an</strong>d inter-generational justice<br />
requirements are met.<br />
10 <strong>Measuring</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SDGs</strong>: <strong>an</strong> <strong>initial</strong> <strong>picture</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>an</strong>ds