The United Nations has proposed a new global framework to measure national progress beyond traditional Gross Domestic Product (GDP), aiming to provide a more comprehensive assessment of economic, social, and environmental well-being.
The proposal was introduced in a report titled “Counting What Counts: A Compass of Progress for People and Planet” by the UN Secretary-General’s independent High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP.
The report recommends a globally applicable dashboard of indicators that complements GDP by incorporating factors such as well-being, sustainability, inequality, health, education, inclusion, and environmental quality.
According to the UN, GDP remains an important measure of economic output but does not fully reflect societal progress or quality of life. Experts argue that economic growth alone cannot capture issues like poverty, environmental degradation, or unequal access to opportunities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the report as a “landmark step” toward correcting the global overreliance on GDP in policymaking.
The proposed dashboard is based on the existing Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator framework and established statistical systems, enabling governments to adopt the model immediately for policymaking and development planning.
The initiative follows the 2024 Pact for the Future agreement by UN member states, which called for universally applicable indicators to complement GDP and better measure national progress.
The report also highlights the importance of cross-country impacts, recognising that the well-being of one nation is often influenced by decisions and activities in others.
UN member states are expected to discuss the recommendations further at the General Assembly to develop a roadmap for implementing broader measures of progress worldwide.
