The inclusive wealth index and sustainable development goals

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly agreed on an agenda for sustainable development in member countries. Nations committed themselves to meeting 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), involving 169 socio-economic targets, by year 2030. To measure progress in meeting those targets, it was proposed to track more than 240 socio-economic indicators over the coming years. What is, however, missing from the list is an indicator that can be used to judge whether the policies that countries follow to meet the targets protect and promote sustainable development. We offer an account of the concept of inclusive wealth report findings that has tracked the inclusive wealth of 140 countries for the period 1992–2014.