Gapframe Report 2018

The Gapframe Report 2018 presents a comprehensive global assessment framework designed to measure progress toward sustainable development across four interconnected dimensions: Planet, Society, Economy, and Governance. Developed by researchers at Business School Lausanne, the report introduces a "safe space" concept that defines acceptable performance levels across 24 sustainability issues tracked by 68 carefully selected international indicators covering all 155 countries. Rather than celebrate progress in isolated sectors, the framework applies a "strong sustainability" approach, scoring nations by their weakest dimension to prevent environmental or social gains from being achieved at the cost of other critical areas. The report compares the Gapframe to five globally recognized indexes, including the SDG Index and Human Development Index, revealing that wealth and development status alone do not determine sustainable progress. Notable findings highlight countries like Costa Rica and Nepal achieving balanced development without extensive resource depletion, while high-performing nations like the USA and Switzerland rank lower in environmental protection. The report concludes that conscious policy decisions about balancing competing priorities, rather than wealth, most significantly influence whether nations advance toward a safe space for all.