Since national data became globally available, various think tank institutions have developed indicators with thoughtful reports interpreting the results and rankings. Interestingly, with all the talk about change in our world, we found no single index as a mashup of various indices that investigates change in our world in a way that integrates people, planet, and profit. We invite scholars and practitioners from across disciplines to join us to explore and enrich the possibilities for two new indices called the Global Change Index (GCI) and the Global Human Sustainability Index (GHSI).
These indices mashup five well-established global indices into two meta-indices using the triple bottom line as an organizing principle: People, planet, and profit. In the first measure, we explore the notion of change over time. In the second, we explore the current state of sustainability indices, what makes GHSI unique, and rank the countries. Remarkably, the focus on people is included in a way not yet done with current sustainability-oriented indices. We will explore the name of these two indices, asking participants what the best labels are. Further, we conduct a qualitative analysis of the five indices’ reports to reflect on the characteristics of change and human sustainability on a global and local (country) scale. In this talk, Dr. Steve Cady will offer an interactive, energizing, and results-focused experience to:
- Review the history and development of indices.
- Critique the methodology.
- Discuss interdisciplinary questions and opportunities.
- Explore a robust research agenda.
- Invite participants into a collaborative community of researchers.
Recording of the talk
