Measuring Sustainability

Measuring Sustainability

by Simon Bell, Stephen Morse
Released June 2013
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136561337

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Book description


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Measuring the sustainability of development is crucial to achieving it, and is one of the most actively studied issues in the area. To date, most studies of measurements or indicators have been largely theoretical.

However, this book, a follow-on to Bell and Morse's highly influential Sustainability Indicators (1999), presents valuable practical advice on how to develop measurements that will work in real-life development contexts. It describes and analyses how to derive, validate and apply indicators in the course of an actual development project - in this case the Mediterranean Action Plan in Malta.

The authors explain the trade-offs and constraints involved and how it is possible to combine the open-ended and flexible perspectives of sustainability with the more linear processes and fixed targets of specific projects through the use of pragmatic and reflective methodologies.

Table of contents

  1. Front Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. List of Figures, Tables and Boxes
  7. Preface
  8. Acknowledgements
  9. List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
  10. 1 The Brave New Frontier of Sustainability: Where are We
    1. Introduction
    2. What is sustainable development?
    3. Gauging progress
    4. Multiple perspectives
    5. Public participation: talk and action
    6. Summary
  11. 2 Sustainability Indicators: A Brief Review
    1. Introduction
    2. Indicators of sustainable development
    3. Integration of sustainable development indicators
    4. The reference condition
    5. Using indicators of sustainable development
    6. Summary
  12. 3 Systemic Sustainability Analysis and Prospective
    1. Introduction
    2. Personal background to the field work
    3. The importance of the subjective
    4. Background to CAMP Malta
    5. Technical specification for SSA
    6. Familiarizing the Maltese SSA team
    7. What are SSA and SPSA and how are they different?
    8. SSA and Blue Plan approaches
  13. 4 Doing SPSA: Some Reflective Experience
    1. Introduction
    2. Stage 1 Find out how things are: reflection
    3. Stage 2 Understand the context for sustainability indicators: reflection/connection
    4. Stage 3 Gather the stakeholders in the sustainability indicator process: reflection/connection
    5. Stage 4 Get clear on methods: connection
    6. Stage 5 Identify the stakeholder coalition: connection
    7. Stage 6 Identify and agree the main SIs: connection/modelling
    8. Stage 7 Identify and agree the band of equilibrium: modelling
    9. Stage 8 Develop the AMOEBA in a collaborative manner: modelling/doing
    10. Stage 9 Think about how the AMOEBA extends over time: modelling/doing
    11. Stage 10 Unpack and understand the AMOEBA – futures: modelling/doing
    12. Stage 11 Responding to ‘good’ and ‘bad’ AMOEBA – policy implications: doing
    13. Stage 12 Making changes to the SI mix in the light of practice: doing/reflecting
  14. 5 New Frontiers of Practice
    1. Introduction
    2. New ways of thinking about sustainability indicators
    3. Other dimensions to sustainability indicators: a new synthesis (Kolb learning cycle)
    4. Applying the learning cycle in sustainable development
    5. Summary
  15. 6 The End of a Journey
  16. Appendix 1 Systemic and Prospective Sustainability Analysis (SPSA) in Malta
  17. Notes
  18. References
  19. Index

Product information

  • Title: Measuring Sustainability
  • Author(s): Simon Bell, Stephen Morse
  • Release date: June 2013
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136561337