ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to produce 'headline figures' which can rival the GNP growth rate, rather than a rival to the whole system of national income accounting. Such 'headline figures' cannot be derived from environmental accounting as a whole, because the only meaningful way to add all environmental and natural resources together is in money terms, which takes us back to the national income accounting framework and to its problems. The alternative to this is to select from amongst the mass of environmental data a small set of figures which represent the most important current facts about the environment. In addition, there is a need for indicators of soil erosion and/or desertification, but here there is a problem of lack of reliable data. This chapter has highlighted five priority indicators. The views taken are the most severe environmental problems the world faces, be challenged and additional indicators added to give a fuller picture of the problems discussed.
