The demand for a new way of measuring

In my first blog I spoke about the new initiative the World Bank came up with for evaluating the impact on country’s ecosystems. Now it seems India and Brazil already figured a way out to analyze those changes in the ecological systems. What in my opinion is very important is that they also plan to publish the way they measure the changes. These new initiatives are a result of the awareness that the Gross Domestic Product isn’t accurate and perhaps even dangerous.

But now it’s the question if policy makers all over the world, and especially in the West, will follow India and Brazil. This would implement a great change in the priorities from these western politicians. Until now they have always refused to change their GDP. The major reason is their fear to be required to publicly take account for their policy. However, widening the GDP would give very useful instruments to help them realizing a balanced budget or a reduction of losses.

I would like to end with a quote from John Palmer, the writer of the article:”The time has come if not to replace GDP at least to balance it with parallel socially and environmentally responsible measures of economic progress.”
And we couldn't agree more..

Brecht Rutsaert

00805115

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/oct/24/biodiversity-dollars-and-sense