This book makes indicators more accessible, in terms of what they are, who created them and how they are used. It examines the subjectivity and human frailty behind these quintessentially 'hard' and technical measures of the world.

Stephen Morse is Chair in Systems Analysis for Sustainability at the University of Surrey, UK.

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

Foreword: Triffids as indicators

1. The World in Numbers

2. Economic Indices

3. Human Development Index

4. Ecological Footprint

5. Environmental Performance Index

6. Poverty, Inequality and Vulnerability indices

7. Happy Planet Index

8. Corruption Perception Index

9. Seeking relationships

10. Where are we going?

Index