MERGE, a Horizon project to measure what matters

The overall objective of MERGE is to bring together researchers, policymakers, statistical authorities, and civil society actors to improve the usefulness and accessibility of policy frameworks and indicators on multidimensional well-being and strengthen the transition towards economic policies that support sustainable development. MERGE is about building a better economy for everyone.

MERGE addresses the opportunities and challenges of moving from GDP policy frameworks and indicators to a better understanding of multidimensional well-being.

The primary objective of MERGE is to help transcend GDP-centric progress measurement, a pivotal step towards achieving global sustainability goals. MERGE’s strategy is to act as a coordination platform and meeting point for researchers, policy makers, statistical authorities and civil society actors. The project has added value by bringing together the European Research Council (REAL) and the various post-growth research and innovation projects funded by Horizon Europe:

• SPES – Sustainable Performances, Evidence & Scenarios
• ToBe
• WISE Horizons

The project

Project activities in MERGE will complement and extend the research projects through a streamlined co-creation process. By bringing together the views of all the different consortia working on data and indicators and policy frameworks, MERGE will lead to an effective science-policy interface process involving multiple stakeholders and different activities. Together with the work of the UN (SNA revision and the UN beyond-GDP process), the OECD (WISE Centre) and the engagement of National Statistical Offices,  MERGE provides a unique momentum to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable economic policy paradigm.

To scale up results, MERGE provides a framework for creating and strengthening a multidisciplinary community of researchers, a technical and knowledge network, a policy network and a network of civil society actors.
Through these networks, MERGE aims to build a broad consensus on easy-to-use and acceptable indicators and frameworks for measuring multidimensional well-being within planetary boundaries in the EU and Member States, as well as in global organisations and civil society.

Through knowledge exchange, stakeholders and researchers can adopt and develop a systematic and coherent understanding of the sustainable economy paradigm in their own work.

The partners