INDICATORS IN SUSTAINABLE RURAL AREAS DEVELOPMENT MODELLING

Abstract

Sustainable development is the result of actions undertaken in the economic, social, environmental and cultural scope. The interior balance between the natural environment, economy and society comes down to actions aiming at developing the enumerated fields. The study constitutes a trial to assess the development level of gminas (Polish: gmina, third level of local government administration in Poland, a district) by using sustainable development indicators and establishing the ranking of gminas in the Siedlecki Poviat (Polish: powiat, second level of local government administration in Poland). In order to implement the concept of sustainable development successfully on every management level, adequate measuring tools should be drawn up and introduced. The basic element of this system is determining and adopting indicators which are a tool for monitoring, allowing for diagnosing, modelling and forecasting sustainable development. The full identification of these indicators and the level of their realisation provide essential information for a complex assessment of the condition and perspectives of the sustainable development, including the expansion of the agricultural areas.