As the primary goal for 1996, the Sustainable Development Indicator (SDI) Group will select the 1997 SDI by the end of the calendar year. To support this primary goal, the SDI Group will construct an SDI Framework. Also, the SDI Group will identify and correct any problems with the selection process itself.
The very idea of sustainable development, that we do not wish to foreclose options for future generations and want to pass on what we received in at least as good a shape as we got it, is an ethical statement. Determining current and future needs remains a subjective and value laden process. Values and policy instruments change continuously and differ from place to place. Different people in different locations and in different circumstances will have different views, values, morals, and ethics and will thus make different choices. The SDI Group does not intend to pass any judgment on these choices. The SDI Group wants to provide the best and most complete framework, data, and information so that everyone can make informed and wise decisions. The SDI Group wants to provide neutral indicators that can serve as common ground to help integrate the multiplicity of values and views that exist in our country. By documenting the process, defining the selection criteria, clarifying terms, and organizing information, the SDI Group hopes that the debates will focus on real differences rather than misperceptions, misinterpretations, and misunderstandings.