Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers Creation-Date: 2008-01-24 Number: 08-012/3 Author-Name: J. Ram Pillarisetti Author-Email: rammp@fbeps.ubd.edu.bn Author-Workplace-Name: University of Brunei Darussalam Author-Name: Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh Author-Email: jeroen.bergh@uab.cat Author-Workplace-Name: Autonomous University of Barcelona, ICREA, and VU University Amsterdam Title: Sustainable Nations: What do Aggregate Indicators tell us? Abstract: This discussion paper resulted in a publication in Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2010, 12(1), 49-62.

What is a 'sustainable nation’ and how can we identify and rank ‘sustainable nations’? Are nations producing and consuming in a sustainable way? Aggregate indicators have been proposed to answer these questions. This paper quantitatively compares three aggregate indicators of sustainability: the World Bank’s ‘Genuine Savings’ measure, the ‘Ecological Footprint’ and the ‘Environmental Sustainability Index’. It is concluded that rankings of sustainable nations vary significantly among these indicators. Implications of this disagreement for analysis and policy are suggested. Classification-JEL: O1; Q2; Q28; F0 Keywords: Adjusted Net Savings; Ecological Debt; Ecological Footprint; Environmental Sustainability Index; Genuine Savings; Sustainability File-Url: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/08012.pdf File-Format: application/pdf File-Size: 196062 bytes Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20080012