Growth, Development and Sustainable Development

Development: Different People, Different Goals

The Basics

Development sounds like one simple idea. But it is not.

National Income and Other Development Criteria

The Basics

At first, development meant only growth in national income. National income is the total value of goods and services a country makes. Economists said growth of five to seven percent a year meant development.

Human Development Index and Report

The Basics

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a score for a country's development. It ranges from 0 to 1. It combines health, education and standard of living. A higher score means better human development.

Economic Growth vs Economic Development

The Basics

Economic growth means an economy produces more than before. It is a quantitative idea, shown as numbers. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the value of goods and services made inside a country in a year. If GDP rises over time, the economy is growing. Growth can be measured in tonnes of food, kilometres of road, or money value of output. It is a number that goes up or down. When output falls, economists call it 'negative growth'.

Gross National Happiness and Alternative Well-being Measures

The Basics

Gross National Happiness means judging a country's progress beyond money alone.

Sustainability of Development: Concept and Threats

The Basics

Sustainable development means growing the economy without harming future generations. It means improving lives today without stopping future people from doing the same. The Brundtland Report of 1987 gave the most used definition. It says development must meet present needs. But it must not stop future generations from meeting their own needs. Sustainable development rests on three pillars. These are economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. All three must move together.

Sustainable Development Goals

The Basics

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals. They have 169 targets in total. United Nations member countries adopted them in September 2015. The goals guide the world towards sustainable development. They cover the period from 2016 to 2030.

Green GDP and Environmental Accounting

The Basics

Green Gross Domestic Product (GDP) adjusts normal GDP for nature's damage.

Climate Finance and Green Finance

The Basics

Climate finance is money used to fight climate change. It can come from local, national or international sources.

India's Climate Commitments: Paris Agreement and NDCs

The Basics

A Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) is a country's own climate action plan. It is sent to the United Nations, stating steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Inclusive Growth: Concept and Strategy

Note coming soon.

Demographic Dividend and India's Population Profile

The Basics

The demographic dividend is extra growth from a young workforce. It happens when working-age people outnumber dependants. Working age usually means ages 15 to 59, or 15 to 64. Non-working age means children and old people. They depend on others for support. More workers compared to dependants means more saving. It also means more output, so growth speeds up. This works only if these workers find good jobs.

Human Capital Formation: Concept and Sources

The Basics

Human capital formation means building people's knowledge, skills and health. This makes workers more productive. For example, training a farmer to use new tools raises his output.

Social Capital: Concept and Role in Development

The Basics

Social capital means trust and harmony between people in a society. It also means shared norms of helping each other, and networks of civic and social connection. It is not money, not buildings, and not skills. It is the invisible glue that helps people cooperate easily.

Government Role in Education and Health as Human Capital Investment

The Basics

Education and health are not ordinary market goods. They give benefits beyond the person who gets them. For example, an educated worker helps co-workers learn too. A healthy person does not spread disease to others. Economists call such goods merit goods. A merit good is something society wants for everyone to have. Markets under-supply merit goods because poor families cannot pay the full price. This is why governments invest in education and health. This spending builds human capital, not just welfare.