Measuring Sustainability: Issues and Alternatives

This paper discusses alternative approaches to the measurement of sustainability in agriculture, given the differing ways that concept has been used. First, broad issue associated with measuring sustainability are discussed. Then, three major interpretations of sustainability (agroecology, ethics, sustainable growth) are presented, along with a classification of sustainability problems. The implications of each for the measurement of sustainability are drawn out. A number of non-quantitative and quantitative approaches to the measurement of sustainability are listed and discussed.