This document is a presentation on better indicators for decision making. It discusses shortcomings in current sustainability communication and indicators. It proposes new indicators of overall eco-efficiency that measure well-being and resource use. Finally, it presents the idea of a meta-index that aggregates multiple development indices to provide a comprehensive overview.

1. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 1
Dr. Marco Morosini, UWIS, ETH Zürich
Version: 100608 - 10H314

2. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 2
Dr. Marco Morosini, UWIS, ETH Zürich
BETTER INDICATORS
FOR BETTER DECISIONS
Version: 100608 - 10H314

3. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 3
1) SHORTCOMINGS IN THE COMMUNICATION
ON SUSTAINABILITY
2) ECO-EFFICIENCY INDICATORS
CONTENT
3) A METAINDEX OF DEVELOPMENT

4. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 4
1) Change towards sustainability
needs more balanced communication
on the positive and on the negative effects of consumption
2) Indicators of overall eco-efficiency are needed
(wellbeing/resources use per person)
3) The aggregation of old indices offers new information
3 THESIS

5. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 5
„Progress was made.
But change
towards more sustainable technologies and lifestyles
is too slow.“
1) SHORTCOMINGS IN THE COMMUNICATION
ON SUSTAINABILITY

6. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 6
Joseph Stiglitz
Nobel Prize for economics 2001
„...for its analysis of markets with asymmetric information”.!

7. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 7
ENVIRONMENT
POPULATION
Scientists
Reporting
agencies
(indicators)
Information
media
Consumption
COMMUNICATION ON
THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CONSUMPTION

8. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 8
Vienna, Underground station, 16.2.2008

9. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 9
Vienna, Underground station, 16.2.2008

10. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 10
Tommaso Campanella, 1568-1639
„Sun City“

11. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 11
Milan, Central station, 19.5.2006

12. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 12
1.
CHOSEN
INFORMATION
E.g.: book
2.
OBLIGATORY
PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMUNICATION
E.g.: traffic sign
Types of collective communication:
NON COMMERCIAL

13. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 13
2.
OBLIGATORY
DISGUISED
ADVERTISING
E.g.: product placement
3.
SEMI-OBLIGATORY
ADVERTISING
E.g.: almost all media
1.
OBLIGATORY
ADVERTISING
E.g.: billboards
Types of collective communication:
COMMERCIAL

14. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 14
TV advertising, USA, 1953

15. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 15

16. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 16
São Paulo, „Clean city“, 2007

17. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 17
INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABILITY
- Many systems and initiatives (> 1000)
- Many indicators in each system (100-150)
- Little visibility and influence
- No funding for the communication

18. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 18

19. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 19

20. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 20
Dashboard of sustainability
Download (800 kB): http://esl.jrc.it/dc/index.htm

21. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 21
Where is the attraction
of sustainability ?

22. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 22
THE OECD GLOBAL PROJECT
„MEASURING THE PROGRESS OF NATIONS“
since 2004
“....fosters the development of sets
of key economic, social and environmental indicators
and their use to inform and promote evidence-based
decision-making.”

23. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 23
OECD PILOT PROJECT ON WELLBEING
- Pilot project for an international set of wellbeing indicators
- Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Bhutan.
- Associate: Switzerland
- Director: Dennis Trewin, Australia (ABS).

24. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 24
a) Physical eco-efficiency
b) Monetised eco-efficiency
2) INDICATORS OF ECO-EFFICIENCY
c) Overall eco-efficiency

25. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 25
E.g. person-km / liter fuel
> rebound effect (Jevons paradox)
2) INDICATORS OF ECO-EFFICIENCY
William Stanley Jevons, 1835-1882
- Micro-level. E.g. Business volume/energy
- Macro-level. E.g. GDP/energy
> ambigous at macro level; means/means ratio
a) Physical eco-efficiency
b) Monetised eco-efficiency

26. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 26
OECD Key Environmental Indicators (OECD, 2008)

27. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 27
RELATIVE ECO-INTENSITY ABSOLUTE ECO-INTENSITY
OECD Environmental Indicators 2005 (OECD, 2005)
Denmark
(Germany)
Luxembourg
energy per unit GDP energy per person

28. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 28
ENERGY INTENSITY
PER PERSON
„2000-watt society“

29. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 29
- European Environmental Agency, 1999:
Wellbeing / Resource consumption
(Type-D in the EEA typology A-B-C-D)
- New Economics Foundation, London, 2006:
Happy Planet Index
HPI = Satisfaction x Life Expectancy / Ecological footprint
c) Overall eco-efficiency

30. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 30
OVERALL ECO-EFFICIENCY
Source: New Economic Foundation, 2006

31. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 31
3) A METAINDEX OF DEVELOPMENT

32. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 32
- 10 indices
- 30 OECD countries (OECD)

33. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 33
The metaindex is based
on the average of the country ranks
in ten established indices.

34. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 34
A METAINDEX OF DEVELOPMENT - TEN INDICES
ISSUE INDEX
1 Human development Human Development Index
2 Wellbeing (humans and ecosystems) Wellbeing Index
3 Environmental sustainability Environmental Sustainability Index
4 Economic freedom Index of economic freedom
5 Economic competitiveness Global Competitiveness Index
6 Economic equality Gini Index
7 Information technology Networked Readiness Index
8 Corruption perception Corruption Perception Index
9 Press freedom Global Press Freedom Ranking
10 Gender gap Global Gender Gap

35. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 35
A) SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: small population, low population density
B) BIG IS NOT BRILLIANT: 5 of the G7 countries (yellow)
C) LAGGARDS ARE HETEROGENEOUS:
four transition countries (green)
three South-european countries (blue)
three non European countries of recent industrialisation
A B C
1 Iceland 1 1 Austria 2 1 Czech Rep
2 Finland 1 2 New Zealand 2 2 Spain
3 Sweden 1 2 Germany 2 3 Hungary
4 Denmark 1 4 USA 2 4 Slovak Rep
5 Norway 1 5 UK 2 5 Italy
6 Switzerland 1 6 Luxembourg 2 6 Korea Rep
7 Canada 1 7 Japan 2 7 Greece
8 Netherlands 1 8 Belgium 2 8 Poland
9 Australia 1 9 France 2 9 Turkey
1 0 Ireland 2 0 Portugal 3 0 Mexico
RANK OF THE METAINDEX OF DEVELOPMENT (2006)

36. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 36
TOP FIVE COUNTRIES
- High income
- High competitiveness
- High environmental stewardship and performance
- High taxes (45% of GDP)
A B C
1 Iceland 1 1 Austria 2 1 Czech Rep
2 Finland 1 2 New Zealand 2 2 Spain
3 Sweden 1 2 Germany 2 3 Hungary
4 Denmark 1 4 USA 2 4 Slovak Rep
5 Norway 1 5 UK 2 5 Italy
6 Switzerland 1 6 Luxembourg 2 6 Korea Rep
7 Canada 1 7 Japan 2 7 Greece
8 Netherlands 1 8 Belgium 2 8 Poland
9 Australia 1 9 France 2 9 Turkey
1 0 Ireland 2 0 Portugal 3 0 Mexico

37. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 37
Correlation with the Metaindex of Development
0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1
Global
EcEqua
Income
EcFree
Gender
HumDev
WBeing
EcComp
PressF
InfTec
EnvSus
Satisf
Corrup
LOW CORRUPTION: BEST PROXI FOR DEVELOPMENT
Soft factors
Emerging
issues
Economical
factors

38. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 38
TWO CHAMPIONS: SWITZERLAND AND ITALY
Rank of the metaindex of development
A B C
1 Iceland 1 1 Austria 2 1 Czech Rep
2 Finland 1 2 New Zealand 2 2 Spain
3 Sweden 1 2 Germany 2 3 Hungary
4 Denmark 1 4 USA 2 4 Slovak Rep
5 Norway 1 5 UK 2 5 Italy
6 Switzerland 1 6 Luxembourg 2 6 Korea Rep
7 Canada 1 7 Japan 2 7 Greece
8 Netherlands 1 8 Belgium 2 8 Poland
9 Australia 1 9 France 2 9 Turkey
1 0 Ireland 2 0 Portugal 3 0 Mexico

39. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 39
SOCIAL EFFICIENCY: DEVELOPMENT AND TAXES
Switzerland:
Top development, low taxes (30% of GDP)
Italy:
Low development, high taxes (43% of GDP)
A B C
1 Iceland 1 1 Austria 2 1 Czech Rep
2 Finland 1 2 New Zealand 2 2 Spain
3 Sweden 1 2 Germany 2 3 Hungary
4 Denmark 1 4 USA 2 4 Slovak Rep
5 Norway 1 5 UK 2 5 Italy
6 Switzerland 1 6 Luxembourg 2 6 Korea Rep
7 Canada 1 7 Japan 2 7 Greece
8 Netherlands 1 8 Belgium 2 8 Poland
9 Australia 1 9 France 2 9 Turkey
1 0 Ireland 2 0 Portugal 3 0 Mexico

40. Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule
Zürich
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich
Politecnico federale di Zurigo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Marco Morosini, Zurich, 10.6.2008 40
„Fortunate is the the people
That really cherishes the sense of the truth
and the spirit of community“
Community hall of Zillis, Graubünden