Genuine Progress Indicators

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GPIs are fast becoming popular as an alternative measure of how we are doing, a step beyond Gross Domestic Product. Both local and central govt. are developing GPIs in NZ. But what does it take for GPIs to be really 'genuine'?

Members: 44
Latest Activity: Sep 21, 2012

Genuine Progress Indicators: What and Why?

What's going on?
There is a whole heap of top-down approaches to Genuine Progress Indicators being developed here in NZ - both in academia and government.
What is our response as community?
What does the bottom-up approach look like?
What does it take for GPIs to be really 'genuine'?

Who's doing what?...more to come
Regional Councils
Anew New Zealand

What and Why GPIs?
"Indicators have an important role in community development, at least in terms of motivating action on social, economic and environmental issues, and helping to establish citizens, business, government and organizations as having both an individual and collective role in building a sustainable community."
- Meg Holden, 2008 .

GPIs are an important tool for us to better determine the overall outcomes of our actions – they give us a clue as to whether we are developing within the parameters of environmental, social, economic, and cultural values and conditions (as opposed to relying on Gross Domestic Product and economic values). They do this because they enable us to clearly see the truth - the reality of the state of our environment, society, culture and economy. The important questions are: which indicators and indicators for who? We need to explore the silences - what are we not caring for?

GPIs are a tool that can be used to guide decision-making at a range of levels across government, community and business sectors. They offer an important role in community development in building a shared vision for what a society deems to be ‘genuine progress’. A bottom-up approach to GPIs can give that often rare opportunity for people of the community to see their own part in what a society is doing.

It is important to remember as Ron Coleman said: "Indicators are a second best option for when conscious decision making does not prevail". So indicators are not the ideal - but they can be a very powerful tool to help us see the truth, and when done in the right way, they will lead us down the path to conscious decision making.

Discussion Forum

Where are people at with GPIs? 2 Replies

Started by Aaron Packard. Last reply by Aaron Packard Jul 3, 2008.

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Comment by Jasmine Cargill on June 13, 2009 at 0:55: One of the most interesting and sane things I have read this year is a book called The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett.

It outlines compelling evidence for how large income inequalities within societies damage the social fabric and and are detrimental to quality of life for everyone (not just the poor) and how more equal societies are better for everyone across a whole range of social indicators. It states that case, that many including Bill McKibben are coherently making, that above a certain level of income continued growth ceases to improve wellbeing in areas such as life expectancy or the subjective sense of happiness, and that in the majority of rich countries economic growth has "largely finished its work". Sustainability, patterns of consumption and climate change are included in the book's analysis of equity and social change.

Duncan Green has written an excellent summary and review of the book on Oxfam's Poverty to Power blog. which I highly recommend checking out.

The authors have set up the Equality Trust, their website is well worth a look: http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/

There are copies in The Spirit Level in the Auckland Library and I'm planning on buying a lending copy.

Comment by Anne Larnach on September 19, 2008 at 21:40: Well, I missed the workshops...what was the outcomes?

Comment by Aaron Packard on July 31, 2008 at 17:58: Kia ora friend,

There is an interesting meeting coming up that I would like you to consider coming to.
Anew NZ and Statistics New Zealand are holding two workshops in Auckland and Wellington, titled 'Pathways to Sustainability, What Matters Most to NZers'

'What Matters Most to New Zealanders' is a collaborative project to develop a public shared vision for NZ and a set of wellbeing and sustainability indicators to measure progress on this vision. The purpose is to create positive change in NZ toward greater wellbeing and sustainability. The workshop outcomes will be used to inform and influence government decision makers and stimulate public/community engagement.

I am keen to get lots of socially and environmentally engaged young people involved, as we have an important contribution to make. It is likely that we will have some sort of follow up event to this as well. I've been asked to invite 15 people to each meeting - so reply to me asap if you want to come - I'll take the first 15 who do!

The dates of the workshops are:

Auckland Friday 29 August

Wellington Tuesday 9 September

Workshops run from 8.30 am to 3.00 pm, but participants are not required to stay the whole time.

Please let me know by Wednesday 6th August if you would like to attend one of the workshops, and then register on the Anew NZ website www.anewnz.org.nz - see the attached flyer for details. Also, if you can think of someone else who you think should be there, please let me know.

Arohanui

Aaron: aaronpackard@hotmail.com
Stats - Anew NZ Consult 7.2 youth.pdf

Comment by Nigel Taptiklis on July 7, 2008 at 21:29: Hi

I just got this in my inbox - pass it round.

Cheers

Nigel

Anew NZ

Opportunities for Volunteer Assistance

For a National Consultation on "What Matters Most to NZers"

We are launching an exciting project, along with Statistics New Zealand, to begin a national consultation on "What Matters Most to New Zealanders" as we explore what is meant by "wealth", "wellbeing", "sustainability" and "progress" - and how these would shape a vision for New Zealand. This is being done in association with Statistics NZ who will be seeking public inputs into the sustainability indicator framework that they are developing. This work is designed to stimulate community action and policy formation. (See www.anewnz.org.nz)

We have an urgent need for worker bees to support this project through:

1. Regional logistics support in Auckland, Wellington and possibly Christchurch at the workshops, i.e. registration, teas, recording results, facilitation support, etc.
2. Website

Discussion forum managers - surveillance of public comments, responding and guiding the discussions, holding quality control, drawing conclusions and

Proof reading and editing.

3. Secretarial assistance in:

Developing the data base by obtaining personal data on about 1200 people with email addresses,

Recording meeting minutes,

Researching contact information across local government and universities.

In addition, in the long term we are seeking

Publication designers,

Writers

Website resource / content assistance

Those interested in progress indicators.

The national consultation will occur during the last week of August and first week of September . Tasks 1-3 will assist the development and execution of that consultation.

Please contact us if you able to be of any assistance, big or small. Give us any suggestions as to how you would like to be involved with Anew NZ. Your feedback would be most valuable. Contact volunteers@anewnz.org.nz or telephone (09) 413-9146.

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