Internal event : Sustainable Development Indicators, Objectives and Scenarios 

The debate on the tools measuring progress is very topical at the moment. A starting point of this debate is the impossibility to summarise all information in one indicator. The report on indicators (2009) analyses methodological and policy aspects of the selection of synthetic indicators, such as the ecological footprint and the human development index. The report also proposes a multi-thematic table of indicators. Their trends are confronted with policy objectives adopted to address around fifty sustainable development problems such as those concerning energy and food.

Can such indicators help us to draw up a vision of the long-term evolution of such themes? Another debate is ongoing about the transition to tackle the energy and food crises. The "Europe 2020" strategy being on the European Council's Spring Summit agenda also shows the need to address this transition. Currently, a lack of vision of achievable evolutions towards sustainable development objectives is recognized as one of the obstacles hindering their realisation. The report on scenarios (2007) explores the conditions for the transition between today and 2050 in two scenarios taking seriously into account the social, environmental and economic commitments of our country.

These questions will be addressed through the Task Force on Sustainable Development of the FPB analysis. The discussion will be started by contributors from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE, France) and the United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology (UNU–MERIT, The Netherlands). The detailed programme of the seminar and some practical information are in annex.

Speakers

• Nadine Gouzée, TFDD - Federal Planning Bureau
• Natacha Zuinen, TFDD - Federal Planning Bureau
• Johan Pauwels, TFDD - Federal Planning Bureau
• Louis de Gimel, Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (INSEE)
• Sylvie Varlez, TFDD - Federal Planning Bureau
• Alain Henry, TFDD - Federal Planning Bureau
• Luc Soete, United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology (UNU–MERIT)