Sustainability indicators

Action Ideas

 * Local quality of life indicators
 * Community surveys
 * Local quality of life Index
 * Footprint analysis - see International links

Why it matters
Indicators simply measure or indicate what’s going on, and answer straightforward questions about chosen issues. Indicators can show
 * Where we are now, and provide a ‘benchmark’ against which to assess future progress
 * What’s improving, what’s getting worse, and what’s not changing
 * The strengths or good aspects of an area as well as challenges it faces

Sustainability Indicators or local Quality of Life Indicators are about questions that affect us all
 * What’s going on in your community?
 * Is crime on the increase?
 * Is the environment in trouble?
 * What shape is the local economy in?

Sister Cities

 * Environment monitoring, Future scenarios

Related Wikipedia content

 * Ecological footprint

International links

 * Global Footprint Network

UK links

 * National Statistics Official government statistics
 * Neighbourhood Statistics A service of National Statistics to give the Local Focus
 * Magic Web-based interactive map to bring together geographic information on key environmental schemes and designations in one place
 * Reviewing Progress, UK government information
 * What's in Your Backyard? Local and National environmental data from the Environment Agency
 * Indices of deprivation, via the website of the Office of the Deputy Primi Minister
 * Radical Statistics

UK local links

 * West DEN West Devon Environmental Network. Past Projects have included a Sustainability Indicators Project.

News UK

 * January 26 2006, Local Environment Quality information for all
 * CO2 emissions by area - Defra release new figures, October 21 2005

Resources

 * Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP), FREE set of local authority area Ecological footprint and Carbon dioxide data is available for every local authority in the UK. (Sign in required)
 * Regional Sustainable Development Indicators 2005. See also Sustainable development - how the regions measure up, December 13 2005
 * The Audit Commissions Quality of Life Indicators
 * Making Indicators Count: Using quality of life indicators in local governance, nef, 2003. Publication available to download via NEF website. NEF found that fewer than half of all Local Authorities in England and Wales have used quality of life indicators, and there are examples of authorities that have started using and then discarded them.

US links

 * Charlotte Neighbourhood Quality of Life Study Pioneers of a Quality of Life Index for local communities
 * interrupcion Community creating tools, products and programs that contribute to a better world for all.
 * Redefining Progress

External links checked Philralph 08:58, 24 March 2006 (UTC)