Sustainability ratings
Sustainability can be defined as socio-economic progress achieved through unification of political, economic and social initiatives which aim to protect our environment as well as improve the quality of life of all communities for generations to come.
Poland has committed to implementing the principles of this concept by participating in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and signing three declaratory documents: The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Agenda 21 Action Program, the Declaration of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests, and two global agreements: The Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Sustainability indicators - what are they?
This system of ratings serves as an informational and diagnostic tool that helps direct social, economic, and environmental activity at various administrative levels, from local to national. Sustainability scoring aims to facilitate supervision of how local, regional, national, and EU authorities , as well as enterprises, implement provisions in various strategic documents, such as plans, programs, or policies.
Types of sustainability indicators
These metrics can be divided into several categories, according to the four main dimensions of the idea of sustainability:
Social - focusing on improving the quality of life of citizens, ensuring social equality, and promoting cohesion. They consider public health, education, demographic change, public security, and social integration, among others.
Economic - focusing on promoting sustainable economic growth that supports universal welfare while minimizing negative environmental impacts and ensuring equitable distribution of profits. Indicators in this category include gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, level of public debt, labor market indicators, innovation, and transportation, among others.
Environmental - concerning the protection of natural ecosystems and the promotion of sustainable resource management practices. Indicators in this category regard greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater resources, land use, waste management or biodiversity conservation, among others.
Institutional-political - these include global partnerships, cohesion and efficiency policies, openness and participation, and citizen engagement .
One goal of Poland's Sustainable Development Strategy is to optimise the exploitation of raw materials, fuels and natural resources , ensure territorial security and environmental protection. Another of its objectives is to preserve national sovereignty, provide universal health care and social welfare, as well as compliance with existing legal system.