Beyond GDP: A learning tool for inclusive and sustainable economies for people and planet

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