A framework for ‘City Prosperity Index’: Linking indicators, analysis and policy

• The distinctiveness and flaws of the City Prosperity Index are highlighted.
• The methodological and conceptual challenges of index development are identified.
• A robust index should connect indicators and intelligence with the policy needs.
• Key parameters for a robust and flexible indicator framework are articulated.

This paper argues for a more robust and flexible framework to develop the ‘City Prosperity Index’ (CPI), one which is able to connect indicators and analytical intelligence with the policy needs of urban planners and government strategists. The adoption of a more progressive and balanced agenda of ‘people-centred’ urban prosperity in the UN-Habitat's newly developed CPI has already led to a more holistic approach to integrating productivity, infrastructure, quality of life, equity and social inclusion, and environmental sustainability into a coherent framework. Building on this international agenda, there is still scope to critically revise and improve the conceptual and methodological framework of the CPI, probably in an incremental manner, to make it a more tailored policy instrument that can truly address the different sets of challenges faced by cities in different regions under different socio-spatial contexts to achieve sustainable prosperity.