Beyond GDP: A learning tool for inclusive and sustainable economies for people and planet
As the push intensifies for countries to go "beyond GDP" when measuring progress, IISD and partners will launch an e-course to explore the alternatives.
The limitations of GDP as a metric of prosperity and economic success are well documented. It fails to measure the environmental impacts of economic activity. It is unable to measure work and labour that isn’t conducted through a market transaction. It prioritizes questions of income and expenditure over those of well-being.
In this webinar—run by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in partnership with Rethinking Economics and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)—speakers will touch on the benefits and shortcomings of GDP, its current uses, and what a world "beyond GDP" predominance might look like.
The webinar will also launch a new learning tool. IISD has developed an e-course that presents different measures for assessing national progress, which address sustainability concerns better than GDP does. The e-course is designed in four modules, giving an introduction to the limitations of GDP, an overview of alternative and complementary measures to GDP, and an in-depth dive into the Comprehensive Wealth Index components and their policy implications. It is a self-paced course that takes about 4 hours to complete, and guides learners through this content with interactive questions and scenarios.
Designed for policy-makers and economics students alike, the Beyond GDP Learning Tool offers practical guidance on using non-GDP indicators to gauge progress. To join the first cohort of learners on the course, we recommend attending this webinar.
Agenda
Opening Remarks
- Bhim Adhikari, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Launch of the Beyond GDP Learning Tool
- Livia Bizikova, International Institute for Sustainable Development
Panel Discussion
- Kali Taylor, Managing Director, Sustainable Finance Geneva
- Sonal Raghuvanshi, Senior Economist, Rethinking Economics International
- Annegeke Jansen, PhD candidate, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University and a research associate at the Wellbeing Research Centre, Oxford University.
- Felix Vincent, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina), winner of Beyond GDP essay competition, and representative of the Youth Network on Beyond GDP
- Alin Halimatussadiah, Head of Green Economy and Climate Research Group, Institute for Economic and Social Research, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia
Closing Remarks
- Bhim Adhikari, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
In Partnership With
Upcoming events
Policy Workshop: Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Beyond GDP in Ghana
Policymakers will explore core concepts, global approaches, and key components of "beyond GDP" and assess their relevance for Ghana.
Student Workshop: Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Beyond GDP in Ghana
Students will confront the limitations of GDP and explore alternative and complementary measures to GDP and their policy implications for Ghana.