Indicators for Sustainable Energy Development. The PASHMINA Approach

In recent years the scientific discussion on how to best measure societal progress has gained increasing attention in the political arena. The underlying question is whether the indicators currently used are able to provide adequate information and are appropriate for guiding political decision making with respect to societal progress and welfare. Closely related to the concept of sustainable development a wide range of measurement approaches evolved that focus on different aspects relevant for societal wellbeing and progress. For the PASHMINA project we develop a set of sustainability indicators focusing on stocks and flows using the EU Sustainability Development Indicators and the IEA-IAEA Sustainable Energy Development Indicators as starting point. The focus of the PASHMINA indicator set is put on energy supply and use. The motivation for this focus is twofold: first, energy plays a central role for all dimensions of sustainable development; second, energy is crucial when focusing on the role of stocks, flows and services relevant for wellbeing.