IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v16y2008i4p241-250.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mainstreaming sustainable development in the OECD through indicators and peer reviews

Author

Listed:
  • Markku Lehtonen

    (SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research, The Freeman Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK)

Abstract

The OECD sustainable development indicators are being used in the various OECD peer reviews so as to 'mainstream' sustainable development. This article examines the ways in which the sustainable development indicators in the OECD economic surveys and environmental performance reviews (EPRs) have been used, and the types of learning they have engendered in the reviewed countries. Largely because of the deficiencies in the process of designing the indicator framework, the sustainable development sections in the economic surveys in 2001-2004 failed to be sufficiently salient, credible and legitimate to the key stakeholders to have an appreciable impact. The EPRs have 'empowered' environmental authorities by legitimizing calls for stronger environmental policies, thereby generating government, social and policy learning. The EPRs will need to appeal to a broader range of stakeholders and thereby generate outside pressure. To do so, the EPRs should develop more standardized 'process' and 'response' indicators, allowing cross-country comparisons. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Markku Lehtonen, 2008. "Mainstreaming sustainable development in the OECD through indicators and peer reviews," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(4), pages 241-250.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:16:y:2008:i:4:p:241-250
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.378
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/sd.378
    File Function: Link to full text; subscription required
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.378?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hezri, Adnan A. & Dovers, Stephen R., 2006. "Sustainability indicators, policy and governance: Issues for ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 86-99, November.
    2. Hukkinen, Janne, 2003. "From groundless universalism to grounded generalism: improving ecological economic indicators of human-environmental interaction," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 11-27, February.
    3. Joachim H. Spangenberg, 2002. "Institutional sustainability indicators: an analysis of the institutions in Agenda 21 and a draft set of indicators for monitoring their effectivity," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(2), pages 103-115.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anetta Barska & Janina Jędrzejczak-Gas & Joanna Wyrwa & Krzysztof Kononowicz, 2020. "Multidimensional Assessment of the Social Development of EU Countries in the Context of Implementing the Concept of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    2. Cristiana Cellucci & Teresa Villani, 2024. "Sustainable Environmental Communication Project: Eco-Friendly and Sensory Materials for Museums," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-16, April.
    3. Tom Waas & Jean Huge & Thomas BLOCK & Tarah Wright & Francisco Javier Benitez Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability assessment and indicators: Tools in a decision-making strategy for sustainable development," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/189410, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Tom Waas & Jean Hugé & Thomas Block & Tarah Wright & Francisco Benitez-Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability Assessment and Indicators: Tools in a Decision-Making Strategy for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-23, August.
    5. Emma Norman & Gemma Dunn & Karen Bakker & Diana Allen & Rafael Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, 2013. "Water Security Assessment: Integrating Governance and Freshwater Indicators," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(2), pages 535-551, January.
    6. Bert Scholtens, 2010. "The Environmental Performance of Dutch Government Bond Funds," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 117-130, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Banos-González, Isabel & Martínez-Fernández, Julia & Esteve-Selma, Miguel Ángel, 2015. "Dynamic integration of sustainability indicators in insular socio-ecological systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 306(C), pages 130-144.
    2. Shyamal Gondkar & Sivakumar Sreeramagiri & Edwin Zondervan, 2012. "Methodology for Assessment and Optimization of Industrial Eco-Systems," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Cory Searcy, 2012. "Corporate Sustainability Performance Measurement Systems: A Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 239-253, May.
    4. Pouria Ataei & Hassan Sadighi & Mohammad Chizari & Enayat Abbasi, 2020. "In-depth content analysis of conservation agriculture training programs in Iran based on sustainability dimensions," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 7215-7237, December.
    5. Castellani, V. & Sala, S., 2010. "Sustainable performance index for tourism policy development," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 871-880.
    6. Gemma Burford & Elona Hoover & Ismael Velasco & Svatava Janoušková & Alicia Jimenez & Georgia Piggot & Dimity Podger & Marie K. Harder, 2013. "Bringing the “Missing Pillar” into Sustainable Development Goals: Towards Intersubjective Values-Based Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-25, July.
    7. Kajsa Borgnäs, 2017. "Indicators as ‘circular argumentation constructs’? An input–output analysis of the variable structure of five environmental sustainability country rankings," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 769-790, June.
    8. Kang Hou & Xuxiang Li & Jing Zhang, 2015. "GIS Analysis of Changes in Ecological Vulnerability Using a SPCA Model in the Loess Plateau of Northern Shaanxi, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-14, April.
    9. Ludger Niemann & Thomas Hoppe, 2021. "How to Sustain Sustainability Monitoring in Cities: Lessons from 49 Community Indicator Initiatives across 10 Latin American Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, May.
    10. Richard R. Shaker & Joseph Aversa & Victoria Papp & Bryant M. Serre & Brian R. Mackay, 2020. "Showcasing Relationships between Neighborhood Design and Wellbeing Toronto Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, January.
    11. Anselm Schneider & Erika Meins, 2012. "Two Dimensions of Corporate Sustainability Assessment: Towards a Comprehensive Framework," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 211-222, May.
    12. Umberto Berardi, 2013. "Sustainability assessment of urban communities through rating systems," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1573-1591, December.
    13. Stephen Morse, 2011. "Attracting Attention for the Cause. The Reporting of Three Indices in the UK National Press," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 101(1), pages 17-35, March.
    14. Li, Fu Jia & Dong, Suo Cheng & Li, Fei, 2012. "A system dynamics model for analyzing the eco-agriculture system with policy recommendations," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 34-45.
    15. Anne Musson, 2012. "The importance of the stakeholders’ involvement in building indicators. The case of environmental regulation in France," Working Papers hal-02947023, HAL.
    16. Vardon, Michael & Burnett, Peter & Dovers, Stephen, 2016. "The accounting push and the policy pull: balancing environment and economic decisions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 145-152.
    17. Jouni Korhonen & Thomas P. Seager, 2008. "Beyond eco‐efficiency: a resilience perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(7), pages 411-419, November.
    18. Lehtonen, Markku, 2004. "The environmental-social interface of sustainable development: capabilities, social capital, institutions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 199-214, June.
    19. Bino Catasús & Sofi Ersson & Jan‐Erik Gröjer & Fan Yang Wallentin, 2007. "What gets measured gets … on indicating, mobilizing and acting," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(4), pages 505-521, July.
    20. Hamil Pearsall, 2010. "From Brown to Green? Assessing Social Vulnerability to Environmental Gentrification in New York City," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 28(5), pages 872-886, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:16:y:2008:i:4:p:241-250. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.