Beyond GDP: Why Sumatra’s Disasters Demand a New Measure of Progress
This article argues that recurring disasters in Sumatra expose the limits of GDP as a measure of development. By linking floods, fires, and landslides to extractive growth models that ignore ecological degradation, it shows how economic “progress” can mask rising vulnerability and social costs. Drawing on political economy, ethics, and alternative development metrics, the article calls for moving beyond GDP toward greener and more inclusive measures of prosperity that account for nature, justice, and long-term resilience across the Global South.
