The Additional Measures of Progress Steering Group, set up in summer 2006 to review the evidence and options for additional and improved ways of measuring progress, concluded that there are as yet no internationally recognised measures of progress capturing economic, environmental, social and wellbeing perspectives. The Steering Group investigated a potential basket of measures that could complement the Scottish Government's National Performance Framework. In concluding its work the Steering Group presented three recommendations on additional and improved ways of measuring progress to Scottish Government Ministers in July 2008:
- with the inclusion of Ecological Footprint in the National Performance Framework, the Scottish Government should set up a group to develop Economic - Environmental Input-Output Accounts to provide a sound basis for footprint calculations and wider applications, subject to an initial assessment of costs and potential benefits;
- the Scottish Government should continue to monitor developments in wider measures of progress that incorporate wellbeing, like the Index of Sustainable Economic Wellbeing (ISEW); and
- the Scottish Government should host a seminar for analysts, policy makers and interested stakeholders on the work of the Steering Group and developments in additional measures of progress.
The Scottish Government is now taking forward each of these recommendations.
Short report with further information on the work of the Steering Group and its recommendations.