Election 2008: Recommendations for the New Administration

Redefining Progress, on the day of the U.S. presidential election, asks, "How can the next president address our most urgent national priorities in a way that assures we not only solve current crises—be they climate change, financial meltdown, or any of a number of concerns—but also prevent their recurrence?"

In answer that question, they are running a special series of essays, written by one of their experts in sustainable economics, environmental and climate justice, or sustainability indicators. This week, Andrew Hoerner, director of the sustainable economics program, discusses how taming the financial sector, ensuring sustainable health care, and creating an energy system for the future will require the right indicators, the right incentives, and the right principles of justice.
To read the recommendations, please click here. Here's a sample of what he has to say:

To be sustainable, any system needs three things:

• The right indicators
• The right incentives, and
• The right principles of justice.

Indicators are needed for sustainability because you can not manage what you do not measure. A good indicator will tell you how well a system is meeting human needs, or whether its productive capacity is being improved or eroded, or both.

To read more, click here.