A UN expert group has called for a shift beyond GDP as the key measure of national progress, arguing it no longer reflects well-being amid rising inequality and environmental issues. A new framework with 31 indicators has been proposed.
A United Nations-appointed High-Level Expert Group has called for a global shift beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the dominant measure of national progress, warning that economic growth alone no longer reflects people's lived realities amid rising inequality, environmental degradation and declining trust in institutions.
GDP 'Insufficient' for Broader Assessment
In its report titled "Counting What Counts: A Compass of Progress for People and Planet," the independent expert group said GDP remains an important measure of economic activity but is insufficient to assess broader human well-being, sustainability and resilience. The report was prepared by the Secretary-General's Independent High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, constituted in May 2025 following a request from UN member states under the Pact for the Future.
A New Framework for Progress
"For decades, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its growth have been treated as the closest thing the world has to a measure of progress," the report said, adding that GDP growth has often coexisted with "persistent inequality, environmental degradation, and declining trust in public institutions." The expert group proposed a new framework centred on "equitable, inclusive, and sustainable well-being" that would complement GDP through a dashboard of 31 indicators covering social, economic, institutional and environmental dimensions.
Four Pillars of Well-being
According to the report, the proposed framework is built around four broad pillars -- foundational principles, current well-being, equity and inclusion, and sustainability and resilience. The foundational principles include peace, human rights and respect for the planet. Current well-being indicators would assess material conditions, work, health, education, security, subjective well-being, social cohesion, institutional quality and environmental quality.
Tracking Sustainability and Resilience
The framework also proposes measuring inequalities through indicators such as income inequality, wealth concentration, poverty, regional disparities and overlapping deprivations. On sustainability and resilience, the report recommended tracking different forms of capital, including produced, human, social, institutional and natural capital, to evaluate whether societies are preserving the foundations necessary for future well-being.
Growing Disconnect Between GDP and Public Sentiment
The report argued that GDP has become increasingly disconnected from people's experiences. "GDP growth and public sentiment have come apart. People increasingly believe their governments cannot meet their needs, and that the economic and political system is rigged toward the ultrawealthy," the report stated.
Modern Challenges Beyond GDP's Scope
The panel highlighted the impact of technological disruption, climate change and inequality, saying these challenges interact with one another in ways that traditional economic metrics fail to capture. It warned that artificial intelligence, while capable of driving productivity gains, could also contribute to unemployment, concentration of power and new security threats if not governed properly.
The report further noted that climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are intensifying despite continued global economic expansion. "Extreme heat, floods, droughts, wildfires and rising sea levels are no longer distant risks that scientists model in reports. They are the daily reality of hundreds of millions of people," it said.
Recommendations for Implementation
To support implementation, the group recommended that governments establish country-owned progress dashboards integrated into policymaking, budgeting and accountability systems. It also called on national statistical offices to strengthen data systems capable of producing timely and disaggregated indicators, especially in areas such as subjective well-being, trust, environmental quality and social cohesion. (ANI)
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