Hans Rosling has an important and often overlooked message about how the decisions made by the wealthiest affect the poorest and where we need to focus our goals when we talk about sustainability.
“Social progress is going ahead of economical progress” – do you believe this is really true? Note that the US is consistently richer than would be expected given its stats for infant mortality, life expectancy, etc. Our country makes the case for the need for alternative development statistics that measure more than just the dollar – there are other indicators of development that may be even more important than cash. In fact, these other metrics may be direct tradeoffs – health care requires public investment in research, preventative care, and education that will take away from overall GDP calculation. Do other countries now have it right?
“We have not seen good economic or health progress anywhere in the world without destroying the climate”. Well, that’s quite the statement – but development does require energy. Ideally, metrics of development would include economic, social, and environmental indicators, but if Rosling is right, then no country has succeeded at all three. Therefore, we all have needed development in our future. What do you think about Rosling’s recipe for development?