Green economy indicators as a method of monitoring development in the economic, social and environmental dimensions

Abstract

The economic crisis of 2008 became a turning point in international debates during which the issue related to the need to transform the current economic model was raised and discussed. The idea of the green economy, based on the concept of sustainable development, became the focal point of the new strategy. One of the issues related to the development of the green economy was how it could be monitored at both the local and international levels. The aim of the article is a comparative assessment of selected sets of indicators for measuring the transformations towards the green economy in terms of four dimensions: economic, social, environmental and political. The research method is a critical analysis of selected research describing how to measure the green economy. The article presents international sets of indicators proposed by such organizations as the OECD and UNEP, as well as composite indicators such as the Global Green Economy Index and the Green Economy Progress. The article also highlights the results of Polish researchers and research institutions, which include the Green Economy Index constructed by Bożena Ryszawska and the Green Economy Indicators proposed by Central Statistical Office in Poland. Selected indicators were also analysed and compared in the economic, social, environmental and political dimensions. An attempt was made to formulate their synthetic characteristics. This study is primarily the result of exploring foreign literature complemented with Author’s thoughts and conclusions. Discussions on the theme of the green economy are centred around the effects of implementing it. This is why there is a need to conduct research into how to determine progress in greening current economies across countries in a manner as close to the current situation as possible.