Sustainable development

Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket

Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket cover

Useful links
Methods Used
Data and resources

Glossary of terms

2008 readership survey
Contact for indicator queries

Reviewing progress

The Reviewing progress page contains quantitative analysis of the most relevant data relating to the specific subjects and commitments within in the government Sustainable Development strategy, Securing the Future, launched by the prime minister in March 2005.

An update of the UK Government's national sustainable development indicators

Sustainable development indicators in your pocket 2009

  • A new edition of Sustainable development indicators in your pocket (2009) was published on 30 July 2009.  The publication is available to order, free of charge and is presented here (via the cover on the right).  The national indicators it contains are also presented via the ‘national’ section below.

There are 68 national indicators supporting the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy including measures of everyday concern such as health, housing, jobs, crime, education and our environment. The indicators also support one or more of the four priority areas outlined in the Strategy. 

The 2008 edition of the Sustainable development indicators in your pocket was accompanied by a user questionnaire, and the responses and comments have been much appreciated. They have provided a better understanding of the booklet's readership and how they use it. Almost all the responses were very postive and some have prompted revisions to the presentation and content including  the production of a glossary of terms and a downloadable Microsoft Powerpoint version of the 2009 publication containing all the charts. A summary of the responses is available here.

Indicators

Indicators are integral to the communication of sustainable development.  They help review progress, they highlight where the challenges are, and they help people to understand what sustainable development means globally, nationally, locally and for them as individuals.

National

Indicators supporting and monitoring the National Sustainable Development strategy, Securing the Future

Regional

Regional versions of the National indicators where data are available

Local

Local indicator information is collected by the National Audit Commission, more information can be found on their website www.areaprofiles.audit-commission.gov.uk

International

Some international data have been compiled for as many of the national indicators as possible

Methods and data

Methods

The methods used to make indicator assessments and to monitor sustainable development policies can be found here.

Data

Data for all indicators presented on this website can be found here.

 

The indicators can be used in several ways:

UK Government's national sustainable development indicators - Historical

National sustainable development indicators from previous years are also available. (This content has been moved to the National Archives website.)

 

Updated: 28 October 2009

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs