Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being

Each line in the dashboard concerns a specific indicator. The most recent figure is shown on the left. In some cases, an arrow may be shown alongside this figure to indicate the trend (medium to long-term trend based on available data points in the years 2017-2024). The colour of the arrow indicates whether the trend is moving in the direction associated with an increase (green) or a decrease (red) in well-being. If the arrow points upwards, the value of the indicator is rising. If the arrow points downwards, the value of the indicator is falling.
There is a bar chart providing data on EU countries on the right. The column representing the Netherlands is shown in a different colour to the others. The colour indicates the Netherlands’ ranking within the EU. Green indicates a ranking in the top quartile of EU countries, red indicates a ranking in the lowest quartile, and dark grey indicates a ranking in the middle. The position of the Netherlands in the EU rankings is shown alongside the figure.

What do the colours denote?

The Monitor uses colours to compare the results of the various indicators. For each indicator, two aspects are illustrated: the medium-term trend (and trend direction) in the Netherlands in the 2017-2024 period and the Netherlands’ position in the EU27 in the most recent year with sufficient observations.

For the trend and latest annual change, the colours signify the following:

• Green - The indicator is moving in a direction that is associated with an increase in well-being.
• Grey - The indicator is not rising or falling significantly.
• Red - The indicator is moving in a direction that is associated with a decrease in well-being.

For the EU ranking, the colours signify the following:

• Green - The Netherlands is in the top quartile of the EU ranking.
• Grey - The Netherlands is in the middle of the EU ranking.
• Red - The Netherlands is in the bottom quartile of the EU ranking.

The colours are allocated only on the basis of the first-order effect. For example, in the first order, an increase in individual consumption is good for the consumer. In the second order, however, higher consumption can be associated with environmental pollution, obesity, water use and CO2 emissions in other countries.

The colour code provides more information on the phenomenon shown. If an indicator shows a trend in the Netherlands that is moving in the direction associated with a decline in well-being, and the Netherlands’ position in Europe is in the lowest quartile, this is shown in the Monitor as a ‘red’ trend and a ‘red’ ranking. In the case of a completely green indicator, things are going much better.

The colour codes are purely indicative and are in no way normative in nature. The Monitor indicates where the Netherlands stands in terms of various aspects of well-being, showing the trade-offs that we face as a society. It is the task of political decision-makers and policy-makers to consider the issues and draw conclusions on policy.

For some indicators, provisional estimates have been made especially for the Monitor for 2014; these may be adjusted at a later stage.

The notes in the dashboards mean the following:

1. For the Monitor of Well-being and Sustainable Development Goals, Statistics Netherlands has estimated an annual figure for the most recent year in order to facilitate the political debate. This is a provisional estimate.
2. For this indicator, the number of data points in the 2017-2024 period is insufficient to calculate a trend.
3. The data quality is insufficient to determine a trend.
4. Initial preliminary results from the Natural Capital Accounts (NCA).
5. Not suitable for determining a position.
6. These figures have been adjusted for price changes using a new experimental method. The figures are still provisional.