Accounting for a vulnerable planet: alternatives to GDP

Accounting for a vulnerable planet- alternatives to GDP
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New frameworks aim to measure economic progress, without ignoring the climate and ecological risks shaping our future.

Despite its widespread use as a measure of economic activity, growth and living standards, GDP is widely criticised. Figures are boosted by war, waste and carbon emissions. Deforestation and over-fishing are counted as gains. As United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres puts it: “GDP tells us the cost of everything and the value of nothing.”

In February 2026, Guterres called for economies to move beyond GDP as a measure of progress, warning that “the global economy must move past GDP to avoid planetary disaster”.

So, what are our alternatives to GDP? Here are some contenders.

first published on the acuitymag website