The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018

Download or read book The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018 written by Glenn-Marie Lange and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2018-01-30 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Countries regularly track gross domestic product (GDP) as an indicator of their economicprogress, but not wealth—the assets such as infrastructure, forests, minerals, and humancapital that produce GDP. In contrast, corporations routinely report on both their income andassets to assess their economic health and prospects for the future. Wealth accounts allowcountries to take stock of their assets to monitor the sustainability of development, an urgentconcern today for all countries.The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018: Building a Sustainable Future covers national wealthfor 141 countries over 20 years (1995–2014) as the sum of produced capital, 19 types ofnatural capital, net foreign assets, and human capital overall as well as by gender and type ofemployment. Great progress has been made in estimating wealth since the fi rst volume, WhereIs the Wealth of Nations? Measuring Capital for the 21st Century, was published in 2006. Newdata substantially improve estimates of natural capital, and, for the fi rst time, human capital ismeasured by using household surveys to estimate lifetime earnings.The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018 begins with a review of global and regional trends inwealth over the past two decades and provides examples of how wealth accounts can be usedfor the analysis of development patterns. Several chapters discuss the new work on humancapital and its application in development policy. The book then tackles elements of naturalcapital that are not yet fully incorporated in the wealth accounts: air pollution, marine fi sheries,and ecosystems.This book targets policy makers but will engage anyone committed to building a sustainablefuture for the planet.