ABSTRACT
Introducing sustainability into development aims at expanding the dimensions of development. More to the point, “pillars” of sustainable development support or fail to support the paradigm. Adding dimensions serves as a justification for looking beyond economic growth to improve the wellbeing of people. Determining the state of supportive pillars focuses in particular on ignored capital consumption, inequity in the distribution of the fruits of economic growth and the loss of environmental services. Various indices present different results. Their flaws are equal or judgmental weighting of selected “normalized” indicators, or reference to political goals. The indicators might alert to overlooking significant concerns such as environmental decline or poverty; but they do not comprehensively assess the level and change of sustainable development. The paradigm looks more and more like a fig leaf of proclaimed social goals, hiding a lacking will for implementation.
