The California Doughnut Snapshot
If considered as an independent nation, California would be the world’s 5th largest economy – but is it meeting the needs of all its people within the limits of the planet?
The California Doughnut looks at 42 social and ecological indicators to provide a concise visual assessment of our economy’s performance.
The aims of this report are to:
- Measure California’s current ecological overshoot and social shortfall
- Reframe California’s economic performance to align with social and ecological goals
- Inspire wider adoption of this framework within local governments, educational institutions, and community organizations
In total, we investigated well over 200 indicators and selected around 100 as potential fits for 20 categories generally included in doughnut assessments. We collaborated with experts from the Doughnut Economics Action Lab as well as regional experts within various local academic, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations to narrow and improve this list.
We found that 100% of social indicators fall short of delivering basic needs for all people, while 89% of ecological indicators overshoot our planetary boundaries.
Invitation to Collaborate
We have done our best to connect with a wide range of stakeholders and experts around the state, however we acknowledge that these indicators are not perfect and invite feedback. We consider this a living document and hope that others will join in updating the California Doughnut.
