Genuine savings as an indicator for "weak" sustainability: Critical survey and possible ways forward in practical measuring

Abstract

Published by the World Bank (as "Adjusted Net Savings") for around 160 countries, Genuine Savings (GS) presents the most respected but also the most debated indicator for "weak" sustainability. It originates from the so-called "Hartwick rule" for the re-investment of rents from the depletion of natural in reproducible forms of capital. Coming from the theoretical reasoning behind GS, this paper discusses possible extensions either not yet discussed or underrepresented in current research. Mainly, I suggest a discussion of additional items that could be included in GS and show that both the global average and individual country levels of GS would change immensely by including these recommendations.