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Are Major Events Capable of Affecting Country Rankings? Validating Composite Indexes of Human Progress and Environmental Performance

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  • Adrian Oţoiu

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

  • Emilia Ţiţan

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

Abstract

A desired characteristic of composite indicators is sensitivity to major adverse events. This paper explores how major civil wars and the 2004 tsunami have influenced Human Development Index (HDI) and Environmental Performance Index (EPI) index values of the affected countries, respectively. The analysis shows that HDI and EPI scores have barely changed, being almost exclusively due to variations in GNI/capita for HDI and air quality for EPI. This casts doubt on the composite indexes’ usefulness and their ability to reflect major environmental and societal changes in the affected countries, or shows which dimensions are truly resilient to these events and can constitute a sustainable base for postwar/post-disaster recovery. Human progress and ecological indicators may need an overhaul, in order to account for the changes that actually happen at a point in time, in order to capture substantial changes in the socio-economic and ecological fabric of a country.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Oţoiu & Emilia Ţiţan, 2018. "Are Major Events Capable of Affecting Country Rankings? Validating Composite Indexes of Human Progress and Environmental Performance," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 953-974, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:140:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-017-1805-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-017-1805-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Neves Almeida, Thiago Alexandre das & García-Sánchez, Isabel-María, 2016. "A comparative analysis between composite indexes of environmental performance: An analysis on the CIEP and EPI," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 59-74.
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    4. Rafael Reuveny & Andreea S Mihalache-O'Keef & Quan Li, 2010. "The effect of warfare on the environment," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 47(6), pages 749-761, November.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Composite indicators; HDI; HPI; Environment; Public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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