Grundprobleme von Indikatorsystemen für Regionale Nachhaltigkeit

Abstract

This paper explores the possibility to use indicator systems of regional sustainability for interregional comparisons as well as policy instruments. The potential for such a utilisation is limited by three major problems. First, the problem of aggregating many separate indicators to finally one sustainability index, on which fiscal relations supposedly could be based, second the varying regional endowments which provide different starting points for sustainable developments, and finally the problem of cardinal or ordinal scale as many of the indicators discussed are only of qualitative nature. As a result we conclude that regional comparisons of sustainability suffer from substantial methodological and theoretical shortcomings even if improved regionalisations can be applied.

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