Measuring what truly matters beyond GDP

FOR decades, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has stood tall as the world’s dominant indicator of economic progress. National statisticians painstakingly compile figures on production, consumption, investment, and trade, distilling a country’s complex economic activity into a single, crisp number. Politicians trumpet GDP growth as proof of success, while downturns trigger policy overhauls and public anxiety.

But as the world careens into an era marked by climate shocks, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and widening inequality, one thing has become glaringly clear: GDP is no longer enough. In fact, it might be leading us down a dangerous path. As the saying goes, what we cannot measure, we cannot manage. And if we only measure GDP, we are managing for economic quantity without regard to social quality or environmental stability.