If we want to develop our way of life in a more sustainable direction, we must first know how to reliably measure what parts of our lifestyles are sustainable. This is why various indicators that measure sustainability have been developed. A good sustainability indicator should be a number that is easy to measure and follow on a long time scale. 

The following indicators have been developed to measure sustainability:

Ecological sustainability

• The number of endangered species.
• Carbon emissions.
• The percentage of renewable energy sources in energy production.
• The consumption of natural resources.

Economic sustainability

• The debt-to-equity ratio.
• The employment rate.
• The economic dependency ratio.

Social and cultural sustainability

• Income disparity.
• Life expectancy.
• The availability of services.