The JFS Indicator Project -- Part 2: Consistency between the Vision and the Indicators

JFS Newsletter No.55 (March 2007)

In the first stage of the JFS Indicator Project, we created a vision of a sustainable Japan in 2050 (hereinafter "the vision"); in the second stage of the project, we undertook to examine the appropriateness of the 20 indicators we chose to evaluate how closer Japan is moving toward the vision. This article outlines our efforts in this second stage of the project.

The Relationships between the Vision and the Indicators Our vision of a sustainable Japan in 2050 describes an ideal society towards which we hope our country will shift - a society that is perfectly sustainable in every aspect. (See http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/011046.html for this first-stage vision)

Whereas the vision shows where we should go, the indicators were chosen to quantitatively measure how closer to - or farther away from - we are moving towards the goal described in the vision. Thus, we selected 20 factors that we considered important for attaining sustainability.

Thus, the vision and the indicators should be consistent with each other, as the former is the goal and the latter measure what and how much has been achieved in seeking this goal. For example, if we envision a low carbon society as a way of dealing with climate change, the relevant indicators should measure the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

It is clear, however, that tracking only 20 indicators cannot comprehensively measure progress towards the vision. In order to focus more clearly on content, we studied the vision and the indicators separately in the first stage, and this resulted in a lack of mutual consistency. Therefore, in the second stage, we reviewed both the vision and the indicators with a view to making necessary changes.

A Careful Examination of Factors Included in the Vision First, we classified the content of the first-stage vision according to our 20 categories. For example, the vision states "Regarding gender issues, women are participating extensively in social activities," which falls into the category of "Gender Minority," with the corresponding indicator as "Percentage of National Diet Seats Held By Women."

Our re-examination revealed the following three issues:

1. Some statements in the vision did not fall into any of the 20 categories.
2. Some indicators did not have corresponding text in the vision.
3. Some statements regarding the four areas of the natural environment, economy, society and human well-being were misplaced. (For example, issues relevant to economic indicators were noted in the environment section.)

Thus, we re-examined the vision and indicators by looking for inconsistencies. Based on our analysis, we undertook to review the vision.

Workshop Discussions

Next, we held a series of workshops to further examine the 20 categories selected in the first stage. Some indicators deal with issues that relate to more than one category, so we discussed classification issues. The following are some of the topics discussed in these workshops.

Biodiversity:

Invasive species increases/ native species decreases in Japan, construction of dams, roads and other public works projects, need for forest management, etc.

Energy:

Risks of climate change, global economic competition, electric cars, electronics industry, green power, etc.

International cooperation:

Global understanding, acceptance of refugees, Millennium Development Goals, Education for Sustainable Development, environmental ODA, fair trade, etc.

Security:

Earthquakes and other natural disasters, crime, security for children and elderly people, traffic accidents, security disparities, etc.

Money flow:

Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS), non-profit activities, community currencies, sustainable production, markets, corporate social responsibility (CSR), citizens/local funds, etc.

Satisfaction with life:

Labor, vacations and leisure time, income levels, home ownership, family time, public facilities (hospitals and parks), etc.

Physical and Mental health:

Hospital facilities, religions, mental illness, lifestyle diseases, smoking, obesity, eating habits, cavities, allergies, HIV/AIDS, exercises, longevity, medical costs, etc.

Disparities in living standards:

Accessibility to facilities, etc. in rural areas, information disparity, the labor gap, economic disparity, wage differentials, inequality in education, the administrative gap, single mothers, homeless people, NEETs (young people Not in Education, Employment or Training), elderly people, welfare recipients, etc.

Revising the Vision

After dividing the elements of the vision into categories and discussing these changes in the workshops, we revised the first-stage vision, and also added some missing aspects, including:

• Promoting forest management practices, such as thinning out the tree plantations that comprise the majority of Japan's forests, to help maintain forests' public-interest functions, such as groundwater recharge.
• Encouraging businesses and offices to introduce environmental management systems and CSR to the extent that these practices become conventional. Raising environmental awareness among everyone, including politicians and bureaucrats, making environmental consciousness one of the key issues for national and local government policy-making around the world.
• Improving international understanding of Japanese people, and promoting cross-cultural communication.
• Minimizing crime and ensuring the safety of children in their communities.
• Eliminating in principle the money and investment flows that lead to environmental destruction. Encouraging the circulation of community currencies at the local level, thus contributing to community revitalization.
• Narrowing economic disparities, realizing a society that guarantees a minimum of work opportunities and income to all.

Future issues

During the discussions about revising the first-stage vision, we added some missing aspects to the vision and undertook a more comprehensive review, although some participants pointed out that some key elements lost focus due to the increased comprehensiveness. Our challenge for the future is to find ways to deliver our message to an increasing number of people through this vision. This is our task for the third stage of the vision.

In the next issue, we will report on the interrelationships between the indicators.

(Written by Hitofumi Yamanoshita, team leader of the second-stage JFS Indicator Project)