The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has released a major foresight report titled "The Future of Progress," calling on nations worldwide to move beyond Gross Domestic Product as their primary measure of national success. The report argues that GDP — a metric that has dominated economic thinking for nearly 80 years — is no longer adequate for a world defined by rapid technological change, environmental pressures, and widening social inequalities.
Why GDP Is No Longer Enough
GDP was designed to measure the total value of goods and services produced within a country. For decades it served as the de facto benchmark for a nation's health and development. But DFF's new report argues that revolutionary advances in technology, political instability, environmental challenges such as climate change, and deep socioeconomic transformation have exposed the limits of relying on a single economic indicator.
The "Future of Progress" builds on ideas first explored in DFF's 2023 "Global 50" report, which initiated discussions on redefining prosperity at a global scale.
Al Gergawi: Time to Expand How We Measure Progress
HE Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation, made the case for a fundamental shift in how governments track their performance.
"There is a growing need to expand the parameters of GDP to include broader indicators such as quality of life, education, health, employment, well-being, research and innovation, safety, energy, and sustainability," Al Gergawi said.
What the Report Proposes
The report outlines possible paths toward a post-GDP world and sets out a roadmap for the global transition. It describes four possible futures for redefining prosperity and identifies the barriers — political, institutional, and technical — that stand in the way of change.
To advance the transition, DFF puts forward four concrete global recommendations:
1. Propose a global definition for progress — establishing a shared understanding of what national success means in the 21st century. 2. Establish a global working group — to co-design a preliminary framework for a new measure of national progress. 3. Agree on principles of progress — a set of values and standards to guide the new measurement system. 4. Select pilot sites worldwide — to test, assess, and refine each dimension of the new framework in real-world conditions.
Research Scope and Consultation
DFF's research team analyzed 18 country-level approaches to moving beyond GDP and reviewed 21 global indices that measure progress beyond purely economic output. The foundation also consulted experts from leading global institutions — including the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the University of Cambridge, and Peking University — to ensure the framework reflects diverse global perspectives.
A Call for Global Dialogue
The ultimate aim of "The Future of Progress" is to trigger a global conversation on adopting more comprehensive approaches to measuring human prosperity. DFF frames this not as an attack on economic growth, but as an expansion of what countries choose to value and track.
The full report is available on the official Dubai Future Foundation website at dubaifuture.ae.
