Beyond GDP

"On their deathbed, no one will regret not having contributed enough to GDP"
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Sustainable development, as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is grounded in the principle of intergenerational equity. This principle asserts that the needs of the present must be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. However, political, social, and economic decisions today often prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability.  

A clear example of this is the traditional reliance on gross domestic product (GDP) as the primary measure of progress. Such models risk failing to generate true, inclusive prosperity, as they overlook key aspects of sustainable development—namely, social, human, and environmental capital—and do not take into consideration the future implications. By prioritizing extractive economic goals, these models neglect these vital dimensions and contribute to an unsustainable "debt to future generations," compromising their well-being and the planet’s long-term viability.  

At the Summit of the Future, all Member States agreed to develop a framework on measures of progress on sustainable development to complement and go beyond GDP, as outlined in Action 53 of the Pact for the Future. How do we ensure intergenerational equity?  

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The objective of the “Youth Moving Beyond GDP” initiative is to foster inclusive and transformative engagement of youth voices when designing measures of progress on sustainable development to complement and go beyond GDP.  

This initiative seeks to empower young voices by enabling their meaningful engagement in national, regional, and global convenings and processes, and thereby breaking the international “glass ceiling” in the current economic discourse. For the national level in particular, national statistics offices play a critical role in gathering, analyzing, and reporting data that informs the measurement of sustainable development.    

In alignment with the Pact for the Future’s Action 53, this initiative aspires to: advance intergenerational equity by:  

• promoting youth-led policy recommendations to measure sustainable development completing and going beyond GDP;  

• establishing robust engagement opportunities for youth representation at major conferences and summits as well as intergovernmental and national processes; and  

• bridging grassroots and high-level policymaking through collaborative platforms that ensure youth voices are not only heard but meaningfully integrated into frameworks.  

The initiative is a partnership between the Beyond Lab, Rethinking Economics, and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), launched during the official side event, “Moving Beyond GDP: A Youth Perspective on Measuring What We Value,” at the Summit of the Future Action Days.

Building on the “What’s Next” series on Rethinking Economic Systems, this initiative responds to calls for strengthening intergenerational participatory policymaking and fostering inclusive multilateralism. It also draws on insights from the Beyond GDP Essay Competition, where young voices articulated the values that should underpin a future framework.

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Amplified Youth Engagement: Young people are now at the forefront of shaping dialogues and frameworks for measuring progress at national, regional, and global levels.

Influential Policy Recommendations: Comprehensive, youth-led proposals have been integrated into global forums, influencing narratives on sustainable development.

Youth Network on Beyond GDP: A dynamic and operational network connects young leaders with decision-making processes, fostering sustained engagement and innovation.

Action on the Pact for the Future: By advancing the implementation of Action 53, the initiative is driving progress toward measures that go beyond GDP, promoting intergenerational equity as a global priority.

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