The United Nations Secretary-General has established a High-Level Expert Group to develop recommendations for measures that complement or go beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP). EfD Vietnam’s Center Director Pham Khanh Nam joins a prominent group of experts to take on this task.
Announced on May 7, 2025, this initiative builds on commitments made in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals to develop more comprehensive progress measures by 2030.
Urgent need to rethink growth
"This initiative could not be timelier. Every day, we witness the consequences of our failure to balance economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development," stated the Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres.
"To achieve the progress we need, the well-being of people and the planet must be at the center of what we measure and value. Measures that complement GDP can enable a paradigm shift in policymaking that refocuses efforts on sustainable development and prosperity for all."
Distinguished leadership
Kaushik Basu, former Chief Economist of the World Bank, and Nora Lustig, a leading authority on inequality measurement, co-chair the 14-member expert group. Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, known for his critiques of conventional economic metrics, brings his considerable expertise to the group alongside other prominent economists including Martine Durand and Carol Graham.
Regional expertise from Southeast Asia
Dr. Pham Khanh Nam joins these distinguished economists, bringing a valuable regional perspective as the Director of the Economy and Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) and EfD Vietnam. Based at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Khanh Nam's inclusion recognizes the importance of incorporating insights from regions that experience rapid economic transformation while facing significant environmental challenges.
His leadership across Southeast Asian economic networks positions him to contribute perspectives from multiple developing economies in the Global South, navigating the complex balance between growth, environmental sustainability, and social equity.
The Expert Group will develop a framework identifying key dimensions of progress and create a dashboard of indicators for policymakers worldwide. Their recommendations, to be presented during the eightieth session of the UN General Assembly, could fundamentally reshape how nations evaluate progress and success in the years ahead.
UN Announcement: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2025/05/unsg-hl-expert-beyondgdp
By: Nhan Le