The resource-infrastructure-environment (RIE) index was proposed as an
alternative measure of progress which was then employed to: (1) compare the aggregate
(single summary) index findings between Australia (mid-industrialised nation), Mexico
(emerging economy), and the US (highly industrialised nation); and (2) compare the RIE
index against the gross domestic product (GDP), human development index (HDI) and
genuine savings (GS) measure. This paper builds on the previous work by assessing the
seven themes and 21 dimensions which comprise the RIE index for the three aforementioned
nations, as well as the associated policy implications. The results identified Australia’s
strength in the human resource and infrastructure themes. For Mexico, strong
contributions came from the natural and generated resource themes as well as the physical
environment theme, while the US performed strongly in the infrastructure themes. The
comparative results of the US and Mexico illustrated that it is possible to achieve high
levels of progress without an excessive reliance on high levels of production and income.