Until recently, governments have measured economic progress by tallying such statistics as GDP, inflation and balance of payments. Today they agree that economic expansion should be socially and environmentally sustainable. Hence measuring progress towards sustainable development is essential to support decision making and inform the public.

How should environmental and social outcomes, such as clean air and water, full employment and good health be integrated with measures of economic progress? How will we know about progress towards sustainable transport, agriculture and energy production and use?

Towards sustainable development: Indicators to Measure Progress addresses these fundamental questions. The book contains the proceedings of the OECD Conference that was held in Rome in December 1999. It presents the wide range of initiatives and indicators that are already in place, and outlines the challenges that remain in measuring progress towards sustainable development.