Sustainable Development Indicator (SDI) Group
SDI Inventory, Organized by Framework Element
Working Draft, Version 3, October 8, 1996
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Social Capital

Delivery of Nutrition, Shelter and Clothing

Delivery of Nutrition, Shelter and Clothing Definition: Society's capacity to provide nutrition, shelter and clothing to its members.

Candidate SDI:

People Without Drinking Water (238 UN CSD)
Definition: % of people without access to sufficient and safe drinking water
Issue: Environment Quality/Water Quality
Delivery of Nutrition, Shelter and Clothing Characteristic: Number of People

People Without Food (241 UN CSD)
Definition: % of people without access to adequate food supply
Issue: Health/Malnutrition
Delivery of Nutrition, Shelter and Clothing Characteristic: Number of People

Physical Health Maintenance

Physical Health Maintenance Definition: Society's capacity to care for and maintain the physical health of its members.

Candidate SDI:

Health Service Spending (248 UN CSD)
Definition: % of national health expenditure devoted to local health services
Issue: Health/Health Care Infrastructure
Physical Health Maintenance Characteristic: Amount of Money Spent

Immunized People (246 UN CSD)
Definition: % of eligible population that have been fully immunized against key communicable diseases
Issue: Health/Health Care Equity
Physical Health Maintenance Characteristic: Mass of Waste

Education and Training Capacity

Education and Training Capacity Definition: Society's capacity to provide its members with new skills and knowledge.

Candidate SDI:

5th Grade Education (235 UN CSD)
Definition: Survival to grade 5 of primary education (%)
Issue: Education/Education Quality
Education and Training Capacity Characteristic: Number of People

School Age Population Growth (231 UN CSD)
Definition: Rate of growth of school age population
Issue: Education/Education Infrastructure
Education and Training Capacity Characteristic: Number of People

Organizing People

Organizing People Definition: The capacity to organize and structure society to ensure safety, security and an equitable distribution of resources.

Candidate SDI:

Collaborations (41 PCSD)
Definition: number of public-private partnerships, goal-setting projects, and consensus-building efforts
Issue: Social Cohesion/Alienation
Organizing People Characteristic: Number of Programs

Public Forest Hearings (109 USDA FS)
Definition: total number of public hearings related to sustainable forest management
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Organizing People Characteristic: Number of Hearings

Voter Sentiments (128 SDI Group)
Definition: voter sentiments
Issue: Social Cohesion/Alienation
Organizing People Characteristic: Number of Voters

Determining Access to Resources

Determining Access to Resources Definition: Society's capacity to allocate resources efficiently and distribute resources equitably.

Candidate SDI:

Decreased Poor People (7 PCSD)
Definition: Decreased number of people living below the poverty line.
Issue: Poverty/Poverty
Determining Access to Resources Characteristic: Number of People

People in Poverty (163 CEQ)
Definition: number of people living below the poverty level
Issue: Poverty/Poverty
Determining Access to Resources Characteristic: Number of People

Really Poor People (226 UN CSD)
Definition: Population living in absolute poverty ( and %) Gini coefficient of income
Issue: Poverty/Poverty
Determining Access to Resources Characteristic: Number of People

Woman Family Planning Access (247 UN CSD)
Definition: % of women of childbearing age using/with access to family planning
Issue: Population/Unwanted Pregnancies
Determining Access to Resources Characteristic: Number of women

Law

Law Definition: The body or systems or rules established by authority, society, or custom.

Candidate SDI:

Biosafety Regulations (326 UN CSD)
Definition: National biosafety regulations/guide lines
Issue: Government/Environmental Protection
Law Characteristic: Number of Regulations

Forest Management Laws (107 USDA FS)
Definition: Extent to which the legal framework (laws, regulations, guidelines) supports the conservation and sustainable management of forests, including the extent to which it encourages best practice codes for forest management.
Issue: Government/Environmental Protection
Law Characteristic: Number of Regulations

Forest Management Laws (108 USDA FS)
Definition: number of laws, regulations, and guidelines supporting the conservation and sustainable use of forests
Issue: Government/Environmental Protection
Law Characteristic: Number of Regulations

Forest Planning Policy (105 USDA FS)
Definition: Extent to which the legal framework (laws, regulations, guidelines) supports the conservation and sustainable management of forests, including the extent to which it provides for periodic forest-related planning, assessment, and policy review that recognizes the range of forest values, including coordination with relevant sectors.
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Law Characteristic: Number of Regulations

Forest Policy Hearings (106 USDA FS)
Definition: Number of people who attend public hearings related to sustainable forest management
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Law Characteristic: Number of People

Forest Property Rights (104 USDA FS)
Definition: Extent to which the legal framework (laws, regulations, guidelines) supports the conservation and sustainable management of forests, including the extent to which it clarifies property rights, provides for appropriate land tenure arrangements, recognizes customary and traditional rights of indigenous people, and provides means of resolving property disputes by due process.
Issue: Government/Environmental Protection
Law Characteristic: Number of Regulations

Social Institutions

Social Institutions Definition: Groups of persons banded together for common purposes having rights, privilages, liabilities, goals, or objectives distinct and independant from those of individual members.

Candidate SDI:

Community Information Use (34 PCSD)
Definition: Increase in library use
Issue: Education/Information Access
Social Institutions Characteristic: Number of Users

Forest Data Users (116 USDA FS)
Definition: number of users of data published on trends in forest ecosystems
Issue: Education/Information Access
Social Institutions Characteristic: Number of Users

Social Equity (13 PCSD)
Definition: services used by economic group
Issue: Equity/Social Equity
Social Institutions Characteristic: Number of People per Service

Community

Community Definition: A group of people residing in the same locality and under the same government or a group or class having common interests.

Candidate SDI:

Distance to Library (395 SDI Group)
Definition: Average distance to public library
Issue: Education/Information Access
Community Characteristic: Distance

Facilities Within Walking Distance (406 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of recreational facilities within walking distance of people
Issue: Individual/Recreation
Community Characteristic: Number of Facilities

Internet Access (52 PCSD)
Definition: number of communities with infrastructure that allows access to government information, public
Issue: Education/Information Access
Community Characteristic: Number of Internet Hookups

Intellectual and Cultural Organizations

Intellectual and Cultural Organizations Definition: Social organizations dedicated to search for new knowledge or the development and preservation of art.

Candidate SDI:

Biotechnology Research Personnel (325 UN CSD)
Definition: R&D personnel in the area of biotechnology (no)
Issue: Environment Quality/Environmental Technology
Intellectual and Cultural Organizations Characteristic: Number of People

Forest Management Schools (111 USDA FS)
Definition: total number of colleges which offer courses in sustainable forest management
Issue: Government/Sustainable Development Education
Intellectual and Cultural Organizations Characteristic: Number of Schools

Forest Research Labs (121 USDA FS)
Definition: Total number of research organizations that conduct research on sustainable forest management
Issue: Government/Sustainable Development Spending
Intellectual and Cultural Organizations Characteristic: Number of Laboratories

School Internet Access (349 PCSD)
Definition: Increase in percentage of schools and libraries with access to the Internet and National Information Infrastructure.
Issue: Education/Information Access
Intellectual and Cultural Organizations Characteristic: Number of Internet Hookups

Sustainable Development Schools (53 PCSD)
Definition: Increased number of curricula, materials, and training opportunities that teach the principles of sustainable development.
Issue: Government/Sustainable Development Education
Intellectual and Cultural Organizations Characteristic: Number of Schools

Political and Non Government Organizations

Political and Non Government Organizations Definition: Social organizations dedicated to influencing the processes of government; political parties. This includes non-governmental organizations and groups of people with common goals, interests, or ideals formally bound together by a common set of rules or by-laws that influence public policy.

Candidate SDI:

Terrorist Groups (364 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of terrorist or militant groups that sponsor or stage terrorist acts within the United States
Issue: Social Cohesion/Terrorism
Political and Non Government Organizations Characteristic: Number of Groups

Community Service Organizations

Community Service Organizations Definition: Non-profit, charitable organizations dedicated to assisting others meet basic needs, resolve personal or family problems, or improving their community. This includes soup kitchens, rotary clubs, Boys and Girls Clubs, scouts, etc.

Candidate SDI:

Community Groups (127 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of community groups
Issue: Social Cohesion/Participation
Community Service Organizations Characteristic: Number of Community Groups

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions Definition: Social organizations dedicated to teaching skills and knowledge to individuals.

Candidate SDI:

Graduation Rate (57 PCSD)
Definition: high school graduation rates and number of students going on to college or vocational training
Issue: Education/Education Quality
Educational Institutions Characteristic: Number of People

Lifelong Learning Communities (55 PCSD)
Definition: number of school systems and communities with programs for lifelong learning
Issue: Education/Education Infrastructure
Educational Institutions Characteristic: Number of Schools

National Standard Schools (54 PCSD)
Definition: number of school systems that have adopted K-12 voluntary standards for learning about sustainable development
Issue: Government/Sustainable Development Education
Educational Institutions Characteristic: Number of Schools

Primary School Enrollment (232 UN CSD)
Definition: Primary school enrollment ratio (net and gross)
Issue: Education/Education Infrastructure
Educational Institutions Characteristic: Number of People

Teacher Capabilities (437 SDI Group)
Definition: The average capacity or skill level of individual teachers to instruct students
Issue: Education/Education Infrastructure
Educational Institutions Characteristic: Amount of Money Spent

Teacher Training Capacity (438 SDI Group)
Definition: The number of trained teachers certified per year
Issue: Education/Education Infrastructure
Educational Institutions Characteristic: Amount of Money Spent

Families and Households

Families and Households Definition: A fundamental social group consisting especially of a man and a women and their offspring; a domestic establishment including the members of a family and other who live under the same roof.

Candidate SDI:

Divorce Rate (132 SDI Group)
Definition: divorce rate
Issue: Social Cohesion/Family Functioning
Families and Households Characteristic: Number of Divorces

Family Function (433 SDI Group)
Definition: Measure of families effectively performing its basic functions. This serves as a placeholder until a better, more specific measure gets defined.
Issue: Social Cohesion/Family Functioning
Families and Households Characteristic: Number of Divorces

Poor Families (404 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of families living below the poverty line
Issue: Poverty/Poverty
Families and Households Characteristic: Number of Families

Single Parent Families (381 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of families headed by a single parent
Issue: Social Cohesion/Family Functioning
Families and Households Characteristic: Number of Families

Teen Pregnancies (45 PCSD)
Definition: number of teenage pregnancies in the US
Issue: Population/Teen Pregnancy
Families and Households Characteristic: Number of Pregnancies

Governments and Legal Institutions

Governments and Legal Institutions Definition: The office, function, authority, or organization that sets forth and administer public policy and the affairs. A government consists of a legislative branch which writes law and policy, executive branch which executes law and policy, and judicial branch which enforces law and policy. This includes local, state, and national governments. This includes all branches of the military.

Candidate SDI:

Environmental Accounting (283 UN CSD)
Definition: Programme of integrated environmental and economic accounting (yes/no)
Issue: Economic Performance/Economic Satellite Accounts
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: TBD

Environmental Strategy Programs (342 UN CSD)
Definition: Programmes for national environmental strategies (yes/no)
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Programs

Forest Indicators (118 USDA FS)
Definition: Total number of organizations (Federal, state, and local) developing indicators on sustainable forest management
Issue: Education/Information Access
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Groups

Forest Measurements (117 USDA FS)
Definition: capacity to measure and monitor changes in the conservation and sustainable management of forests, including scope, frequency and statistical reliability of forest inventories, assessments, monitoring and other relevant information
Issue: Education/Information Access
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Amount of Data Collected

Forest Policy (110 USDA FS)
Definition: Number of plans released each year related to sustainable forest management
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Plans

Forest Product Trade Policy (115 USDA FS)
Definition: Number of trade policies supporting sustainable forest management
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Trade Policies

Forest Valuation (114 USDA FS)
Definition: extent to which economic policies and measures support the conservation of forests
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Policies

Land Reform Policy (301 UN CSD)
Definition: Land reform policy (yes/no)
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Policies

Lawsuits (417 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of lawsuits per year
Issue: Infrastructure/Runaway Litigation
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Lawsuits

Lawsuits Damage Awards (419 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of lawsuits per year filed by an individual that result in damage awards that exceed $1 million
Issue: Infrastructure/Runaway Litigation
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Lawsuits

Local Resource Management (302 UN CSD)
Definition: Decentralized local level natural resource management
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Programs

Mandated EIA (346 UN CSD)
Definition: Mandated EIA (yes/no)
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Programs

National Councils for Sustainable Development (344 UN CSD)
Definition: National Councils for Sustainable Development (yes/no)
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Programs

Prosecution Efficiency (420 SDI Group)
Definition: Number of cases tried that result in acquittal due to a legal technicality
Issue: Infrastructure/Justice
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Cases

Silviculture Logger Education (152 CEQ)
Definition: number of states that have received grants to develop and test the incorporation of silviculture and ecology instruction into planned or ongoing logger education
Issue: Government/Sustainable Development Education
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of States

Sustainable Development Strategies (343 UN CSD)
Definition: Sustainable development strategies (yes/no)
Issue: Government/Public Policy
Governments and Legal Institutions Characteristic: Number of Programs