Proposal for analysis of environmental indicators to support the discussion of sustainability

Abstract

In recent decades development discussions gained new contours, incorporating social and economic use of resources. These discussions encouraged the formulation of the sustainability paradigm. This article aims to give a framework for analysis of environmental indicators to demonstrate the suitability of these to support the discussion about sustainability. This structure is based on theoretical principles related to good practice in the construction and use of indicators in the light of sustainability, being used a workshop of various experts in its validation. The workshop was effective for that, since different approaches and experiences on the subject have peculiarities depending on the context of using and, therefore, the group brought consensus and conceptual alignment for obtaining analysis criteria on how environmental indicators related to a productive activity may be appropriate and powerful in the sustainability discussion of this activity.